


Love Will Find A Way

by LinkCat



Series: Love Makes A Difference [1]
Category: Trolls (2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2018-11-27
Packaged: 2019-08-26 06:01:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 25
Words: 24,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16675897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LinkCat/pseuds/LinkCat
Summary: Smidge is the smallest troll in Troll Village. She faces the hardest challenge in her life. Finding someone to love and call her own. Her best friend in the whole world is Poppy. Will they face each other’s challenges together or go at it alone?Chapter 1 summary:Smidge braves the cold weather to grab some chestnuts. She puts herself in danger, but is saved just in time.





	1. Smidgecicle

**Author's Note:**

> This is part one of a series. Sorry for all grammar mistakes. Hope you enjoy!

Smidge was the smallest troll in Troll Village. She was born extremely small, and never grew as big as any of the other trolls. She was still very loved and was a very valued troll. She was impressively strong for such a small troll, and her voice was so deep that sometimes she was confused as being a boy. Her best friend in the whole world was Poppy. They often spent time together.

One thing that always bothered Smidge, was she didn’t think she would ever find her soulmate. She was small, and everyone was so big. She didn’t think love was possible for her. She stuck with her friends instead and enjoyed her time with them.

During a cold day, Smidge bundled up in a sweater coat, and went to look for chestnuts. She was going to roast some and have toasted marshmallows for dessert.

She walked out of her flower pod and made her way down the tree. She looked around the village. It appeared everyone was still in bed. She thought this would be a good time for her to look for chestnuts.

As she made her way to the chestnut tree, it began to snow. She looked around and began to look for a place to take shelter. She didn’t want to get buried in the snow. She crawled into a small hole, and then looked outside. She hoped the storm would be short. She didn’t want to get trapped.

After about an hour, she could no longer see outside. She made her aura glow, and looked around for something to eat, or something, anything she could use to build a fire. She didn’t see anything. She curled up and shivered. She regretted leaving. Another hour went by before she lost consciousness. She was hypothermic. 

Poppy saw that it was storming outside and went to give Smidge hot cocoa, knowing she got cold easily. When she got to her flower pod and found it empty, she began to look around. She looked concerned for her tiny friend. “Where could she have gone?” She began asking all their friends. No one had seen her.

A search party began looking for Smidge. It was cold enough, that she could freeze to death. Everyone split up to cover more ground. 

Guy Diamond was the one that found her. It was by a stroke of luck. He had fallen into the hole she had crawled into. He picked her up, and then ran for his flower pod. “I found her!” He soon got to his flower pod and warmed up water. He put her in his bed and put hot water bottles around her to try and warm her. All of their friends came in and began helping him warm her up.

Smidge slowly began to regain consciousness. She shivered and grasped onto the blanket she was under. Her skin felt like it was being pierced with needles. Her body was slowly warming up. When she woke up, the first face she saw was Guy Diamond. She looked at him, dazed and confused. “Are you an angel?”

“No Smidge, you are still alive.” Guy Diamond put another hot water bottle next to her. “You almost froze to death. What were you doing out there?”

“Foraging.” Smidge shivered and hugged onto the hot water bottle. She was still so cold.

“You gave us all a huge scare Smidge. Don’t do that again. Next time ask for someone to come with you.” Poppy sat at the edge of the bed and felt her forehead. “You are going to need to warm up some more before we take you back to your flower pod.”

“I’ll take care of her Poppy.” Guy Diamond smiled at her. “I’ll take her home tomorrow. She should be warm by then.”

Poppy nodded and hugged him. “You are the best Guy!” She headed out of the flower pod and headed for her own home.

Smidge shivered and watched Poppy go. She looked at Guy Diamond, who looked concerned for her. “Thank you for taking care of me.”

“You are so welcome Smidge. I will make you some soup. Stay in bed, ok?” Guy Diamond walked over to warm some soup on his stove.

Smidge closed her eyes and began to doze off. Her last thoughts were of how lucky she was to have such great friends.


	2. An Awkward Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guy Diamond saved Smidge’s life. Smidge begins to realize there is a special connect between them.

A few days went by since Smidge was found, nearly froze to death. She spent most of her time inside since. It was too cold outside, and she didn’t want to have another close call.

Guy Diamond came to her flower pod. He wanted to check on her. Her near-death experience had scared him. He was genuinely concerned for her and was starting to realize there was more to their friendship than he originally thought. He knocked on her flower pod and waited to see if she would answer.

Smidge peeked outside and saw that it was Guy Diamond. She opened her flower pod and let him in, before closing it again. She walked up to him and hugged into him. “Thank you for saving my life.”

Guy Diamond knelt and gave her a hug back. “Of course, Smidge. We were all so worried about you. I am glad we found you in time.” He sat down in front of her. “You haven’t come out since I brought you back home. Are you feeling ok?”

“Yeah, I am feeling ok. I just don’t want it to happen again.” Smidge looked at him and sighed. “Guy, I, erm, never mind.” She looked away and put her hands behind her back. She was feeling shy and wasn’t sure how to express her feelings.

“Are you hungry? I can get you anything.” Guy Diamond smiled at her. He could tell something was on her mind, but he was not going to push it.

“No thank you, I just ate.” Smidge walked over to her fridge. “I have food though, if you are hungry.”

“You don’t have to make me anything. I brought muffins.” Guy grabbed some out of his hair and showed her.

“What kind of muffins?” Smidge walked over. She loved blueberry muffins.

“Blueberry.” Diamond smiled. He knew what she liked and had already baked ahead.

“I guess I have room for one.” Smidge smiled and took one. She sat beside him and began to eat. “Thank you. It is really good.”

“You are welcome Smidge.” Guy Diamond watched her eat and began to eat one too.

Smidge finished her muffin and walked over to wash her hands. She looked over at Guy Diamond. She thought he was so sweet. How come she never saw this before?

Guy Diamond looked up and saw Smidge was looking at him. He smiled at her. They kept this eye contact for a few minutes, before he got up and stretched out. “If you need anything, you know where I am at. I will see you later, ok?”

Smidge walked over to him and hugged him again. “Ok, thank you Guy. See you later.” She let him out and watched him go. She had a feeling in her gut that she had never felt before. It felt weird, but it was a good weird. She smiled and closed her pod, and then went to lay down in her bed. She began day dreaming about him. Was this awkward feeling love?

Poppy had snuck into Smidge’s flower pod when Guy Diamond left, and waited until Smidge was resting in bed, when she popped up from behind it. “Smidge!”

Smidge startled and scrambled up. “Poppy! What are you doing in my flower pod?!” She breathed heavily. Poppy had startled her so hard that her heart was beating fast. “You scared me!”

“I saw you and Guy. It’s awesome!” Poppy hugged her and smiled. “What did he say? What did he do? Tell me!” She bounced around excitedly. The thought of them being together excited her.

Smidge blushed and fell onto her bed, flat on her back. “Oh Poppy, he is amazing. He remembered that I love blueberry muffins.” She had a big smile on her face. “He talked about being worried when I almost died and wanted to make sure I ate. He’s so sweet.”

Poppy grinned and plopped down beside her on the bed. “You two should go on a date. There is obviously something going on between you two. You don’t want to let that go.”

Smidge looked over at her. “You think so?” She looked back up at her ceiling and began to think about Guy Diamond and her together. It made her smile.

“I do think so. He is perfect for you, Smidge.” Poppy rolled onto her belly and began making a scrapbook about it.

Smidge sat up and watched her making a quick scrapbook. She blushed when she saw the depiction of her and Guy Diamond holding hands. “Ok Poppy, I will ask him.”


	3. Best Day Ever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smidge and Guy Diamond go out on a date. Branch expresses his true feelings to Poppy.

After leaving Smidge’s flower pod, Poppy went to Branch’s bunker. She was extremely excited and just had to share with him. She knocked on his door and squirmed as she waited for him to answer.

Branch heard the knock and headed for the entrance. He opened his peep hole and saw it was Poppy. “You look like you are excited about something.” He opened the door and let her in.

“I am! Smidge and Guy Diamond are in love with each other!” Poppy hugged into him and giggled. She couldn’t contain her excitement.

“Smidge and Guy Diamond? Eh, good for them.” Branch said blankly. He was envious. He longed for his own soulmate, but his past plagued him, and no one liked his depressing attitude.

“I am going to throw a party to celebrate! You are invited to come.” Poppy took his hand and smiled at him. She had the biggest crush on him but had never told him. She worried her father, King Peppy would not approve of Branch one day becoming king. “I will serve fermented apples and cupcakes.”

“Isn’t tomorrow the celebration of the butterflies?” Branch wondered if she would pull off two parties in one day, or if she would just make the butterfly celebration bigger.

“That is true! We will just have one big party then!” Poppy hugged into him and smiled. She really hoped he would come this time.

The next day, Smidge dressed up warm and made her way to Guy Diamond’s flower pod. She knocked on it and stepped back when it opened. She walked in and smiled at Guy. “Hey, I was wondering if you would come to the party tonight with me?”

Guy Diamond looked up from his glitter project and smiled. “I would love to go with you Smidge.”

“Great! I will see you in a few hours!” Smidge headed back out and ran straight for Satin and Chenille’s flower pod. She knocked on the door and smiled when they answered. “I need a new dress. Help please?”

Satin grinned and pulled her inside. Chenille grabbed some fabric and began checking which colors would best fit her skin and hair tones. They were excited for Smidge. Poppy had told them what happened, and they were hoping Smidge would come by.

After a couple hours of debate, sewing, and resewing, they had a beautiful ruby red dress with a matching bow for her. They helped her get it on and did her hair. When they were done, they set her in front of the mirror.

“Thank you so much, I love it!” Smidge hugged them and then headed back towards Guy Diamond’s.

“Good luck Smidge. You look beautiful!” Satin called out to her as she left.

Guy Diamond had made his own preparations and had dressed up in a tuxedo with a small flower tucked in the front pocket. He rarely wore clothes, but for a date, he would make an acceptation. When he heard Smidge knock, he opened his flower pod. “Wow...” He walked over and hugged her. “You look beautiful.”

Smidge smiled and hugged into him. “You look handsome tonight.” She took his hand and pulled him towards the party. “Let’s go!”

Guy Diamond chuckled as he was practically dragged out of his flower pod. They began walking together towards the party.

Poppy had made preparations and was humming as she finished up the last decoration. She saw that many of the trolls were starting to gather. She looked around but did not see Branch. She was a little disappointed, but she wasn’t going to let that get her down.

Branch was actually at the party this time but had blend in in the background. He wasn’t much for parties, but he had to see this love connection for himself. He didn’t see Guy Diamond or Smidge yet, but he did admire how beautiful Poppy was today. She had dressed in a royal blue sweater dress with a violet cape and flower tiara.

When Smidge and Guy Diamond arrived, everyone looked at them with amazement. No one was used to either of them dressing up. It was surprising and exciting.

Smidge felt eyes fall upon her. She blushed but gave a demonic grin. “Are we going to party or what?!” She grinned and began to dance.

Guy Diamond laughed and took her hand. He twirled her around and began to dance as well. 

Everyone cheered and began to dance and sing too.

As the night grew dark, Guy Diamond and Smidge settles down and began to eat. They were having a great time.

Poppy began to make rounds to make sure everyone was having a good time. As she passed a mushroom, she felt someone grab her. She was pulled under the mushroom. She went to scream but had a hand go over her mouth.

“Shhh, it’s me.” Branch hugged her and looked into her eyes. “You look beautiful tonight.”

“Branch? I didn’t think you came.” Poppy hugged him and smiled. “Thank you.” She looked into his eyes. Her heart was beginning to beat fast. It was the first time he had complimented her directly. Was he crushing on her too?

“Thank you for the invite. I wanted to catch you before I left. Hope you have a good night.” Branch kissed her gently, and then slipped away into the darkness of the night.

Poppy stumbled out of under the mushroom. She had a dazed look on her face as she made her way towards her flower pod. She couldn’t believe he just kissed her!

Other trolls saw Poppy stumbling away and just assumed it was because she was drunk from the fermented fruit. They continued to party well into the night.

Smidge and Guy Diamond had gotten considerably drunk that night. They stumbled towards the closest of their flower pods, which was Guy Diamond’s and went inside together. They snuggled up into the bed and began to make out.


	4. Double The Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guy Diamond and Smidge express their love to each other. Poppy and Branch have a heated discussion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are under age, please do not read this chapter. You have been warned!

After a heavy make out session, Smidge began taking Diamond’s clothes off. Her cheeks were flushed, and her heart beating fast. She was eager to express just how much she loved Guy Diamond.

Guy Diamond helped her remove his clothes. He was just as eager as she was. When he was undressed, he began helping her out of her dress. Once she was undressed, he began kissing her again.

Smidge locked lips with him and began to play with his length with her feet. She could feel it throbbing by her toes.

Guy Diamond moaned and broke the kiss. “That feels good…” He ran his hands down her body. “You are so beautiful.”

Smidge gave him one more kiss, and then turned to his length. She put it in her mouth and began giving him a blowjob.

Guy Diamond gasped and grabbed onto her butt. He began fingering her. He was extremely pleased. “Mmm…wow!”

Smidge moaned, feeling his fingers along her delicate vulva. It felt really good. She repositioned herself, so she was over his length. She grabbed it, and gently began to slide over him, so he was in her. She shivered in delight and looked him in the eyes. “Mine…” She began moving up and down, riding him eagerly.

Guy Diamond saw her reposition and moaned as she rode him. He held her close and thrust his hips. He was enjoying this.

They continued for the rest of the night, enjoying every minute that they stayed awake.

Meanwhile, in Poppy’s flower pod, she paced back and forth. She had only been home for half an hour. She still couldn’t believe Branch kissed her. She felt warm and fuzzy. She decided she needed to go to his bunker. She made her way there and knocked on his door.

Branch had also been pacing his bunker in only his robe. He was worried. He wasn’t sure if kissing her had been the right thing to do. He certainly didn’t want to upset her, but she was so beautiful tonight, and he couldn’t help but express his feelings. He had been crushing on her for quite some time but didn’t think he had a chance. He felt foolish. When he heard her knocking on the door, he looked out and saw it was her. He opened the door.

“You have a lot of explaining to do!” Poppy tackled him into the ground and began kissing him.

Branch stumbled to the ground and looked at Poppy with wide eyes as she kissed him. He wasn’t expecting that at all. When their kiss broke, he took a breath and attempted to explain. “Poppy, I…” He was interrupted by another lip lock. His eyes softened, and he began kissing her back. He was relieved to know she felt the same way.

Poppy finally let the kiss go and looked down at him. “Why didn’t you tell me you liked me that way?” She sat on him and grinned. She was so excited.

“I didn’t think you would like me back.” Branch looked up at her. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. He found her so beautiful, and he knew she had a beautiful heart too.

“I been crushing hard since we were teens! Oh Branch, this is great!” Poppy kissed him again. She could hardly contain just how excited she was.

Branch wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. He could feel his heart swell as well as his length. He rolled her over and hovered over her. He kissed her down her neck and ran his hand down her side. “You are so beautiful…”

Poppy giggled when he rolled her over. She blushed and wrapped her legs around his waist. “You are trapped now.” She shivered as he kissed down her neck. She could feel that she was getting wet.

“I don’t mind.” Branch licked her ear lobe and rocked his hips in a teasing manner. 

“You are such a tease.” Poppy giggled and pulled him in for another kiss. “Are you going to help me out now that you teased me?”

Branch blushed and kissed her. He stretched his hair and closed the door, so no one could see them. “Mmm, yes of course.” He lifted her dress and removed her panties. He tossed them aside and hovered over her. He took his length and pushed into her. He began thrusting.

Poppy gasped and grabbed into his hair. She moaned and tightened her walls around his length. She moaned his name. She was extremely please.

This continued for a few hours, before Poppy got dressed again and stumbled towards her flower pod. Her hair was a mess, and she was sore, but it had been so worth it.

Branch watched her go and smiled. He knew she had a lot to do, so when she said she had to go, he didn’t hesitate to let her go. He closed the door and headed for bed. He was one very pleased troll.


	5. A Royal Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guy Diamond proposes to Smidge. Poppy makes an unexpected request.

Smidge woke up the next morning in Guy Diamond’s bed. She could smell pancakes. She rolled out of the bed and walked towards the kitchen. Guy Diamond was making her breakfast. She held her head. It was pounding. She was hung over. “Good morning…” She sat down at the table.

“Good morning beautiful.” Guy Diamond set a plate in front of her and sat down in a seat across from her. “Hung over too?”

“Yeah, a little.” Smidge grabbed her plate and began to nibble on her breakfast. “I had a wonderful time last night.” She smiled over at him.

“I had a great time too.” Guy Diamond watched her eat and began to eat slowly. He was happy to see her next to him when he woke up. He was worried it had been a dream. “Smidge? Can I ask you something?”

“Yes, of course.” Smidge looked up from her pancakes.

“I was wondering if you would become mine? For life?” Guy Diamond looked a little nervous.

Smidge set her fork down and went over to him. She hugged into him and smiled. “I would be honored…”

Guy smiled and kissed her. He felt on top of the world.

Back in Poppy’s flower pod, there was a different mood radiating out of her flower pod. She had been drunk the night before and hadn’t meant for things to go as far as they had. She showered and got ready for the day. She needed to talk to Branch. Once she was ready, she made her way over to his bunker and knocked on the door.

Branch was drinking some coffee and going through one of his medical books when he heard a knock on the door. He closed the book and answered the door. He smiled softly, seeing it was Poppy. “Good morning Poppy.”

“Good morning Branch.” Poppy walked in and rubbed her arm nervously. “We are going to need to keep this to ourselves until I figure out what to do. I am not sure how my father will handle this, and I am going to be queen soon.” She was very worried that King Peppy would not approve of them being together for life.

“Talk to him Poppy. I am sure it’ll be alright.” Branch pulled her into a hug. He could tell she was tense and wasn’t sure how else to soothe her.

“I just need time Branch. We can still see each other, but it can’t be public. Not yet.” Poppy kissed him and hugged him tight. She was concerned that they would get in trouble. King Peppy needed to approve of who she would mate with for life. She feared Branch would be rejected, and she didn’t want to lose him.

Branch kissed her back, and then closed the door. He led her to his table and offered her a cup of coffee. “The sooner you tell him, the easier it will be. But don’t worry, I will keep our secret safe for as long as you need.”

Poppy sat down and took the coffee cup. She drank it and looked at the cup. She thought about what her dad had said. He wanted a strong individual to be with her. His heart had been set on Creek. She had been faking she liked him for her father, but she didn’t want Creek. She wanted Branch. Things were going to be a big mess until she figured it out.

“What is on your mind?” Branch took the cup from her set it down on his table. He took her hand and had her look up at him. He was worried. Her face told him she was scared.

Poppy looked up at him. She had fear written all over her face. “My dad wanted me to marry Creek.” She clung to him and began to weep. Things were really going to get messy until she figured it out.

“Shh, it’ll be alright. It’ll work out. You will see.” Branch held her. “Besides, you shouldn’t marry someone because you have to. You should marry them because you love them.”

“I want to get married with you.” Poppy looked up at him. “I don’t know how I will persuade my father.”

“When you are ready to tell him, I will be right beside you to help. It’ll be ok.” Branch kissed her forehead. He was sure that King Peppy would let Princess Poppy follow her heart.


	6. Best Friends Help Each Other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smidge makes it her mission to figure out what is wrong with Princess Poppy. She finds out the forbidden truth, but vows to be there for her friend.

A couple of weeks had gone by since the big party. Princess Poppy had gone back to her normal routine but had been acting strange. She was distancing herself from Creek, and every afternoon she disappeared.

For now, Creek dismissed it as her getting nervous about her coronation. He had no idea yet that she had been sneaking off to see Branch.

Smidge had married Guy Diamond, and had spent more time with him, but it didn’t mean she wasn’t observing the change in her bestie’s behavior. She noticed the change, and asked Poppy more then once if everything was ok. Poppy would reassure her that everything was fine.

It was getting so bad, that when Poppy left a party early, Smidge followed her. This was not normal for Poppy. She didn’t normally leave a party this early. She kept her distance, and blended into the foliage. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but she wanted to help her.

Poppy got to Branch’s bunker, and snuck in. She made her way down his tunnels.

Smidge raised a brow and snuck in right behind her. She followed her quietly. She was wondering why Poppy had snuck into Branch’s bunker.

Poppy crawled into Branch’s bed and snuggled up to him. He was sick, and she had snuck off early because she didn’t like being away from him while he was ill.

Smidge dropped her jaw when she walked in and observed her in his bed. “Oh my god…” She was shocked. She wasn’t expecting that to happen.

Branch startled and looked up. He saw Smidge and groaned. “Well so much for this being secret.” He groaned and curled up on his side. He had a fever and didn’t feel like dealing with anyone else.

Poppy scrambled out of his bed and looked at Smidge. She hesitated and tried to think of what to say to her.

“When did this start?” Smidge crossed her arms. She was surprised that Poppy had kept this a secret from her.

Poppy groaned and led her out of Branch’s room. “Smidge, I know this looks bad, but I have my reasons for not telling you.” She bit her bottom lip. “It’s been two weeks. I have had feelings for him forever, but I didn’t think he felt the same way.”

“Does King Peppy know?” Smidge raised her brow. As far as she knew, Creek was going to be the one that married Poppy when she became queen. “What about Creek?”

“No, I am not sure how to tell him.” Poppy looked down. She hadn’t come up with an idea yet, and Creek was really starting to pressure her into going further in their relationship. She was worried that it would spark anger if she told him now. “I’ve been avoiding Creek. I’m scared Smidge. What if dad doesn’t like Branch?”

“You should tell them.” Smidge watched her and could tell she was scared. Poppy’s aura was getting dim. She took Poppy’s hand and looked up at her. “You know it’ll all work out, right?”

“I’m not ready to tell them yet Smidge. I don’t know what to say, and Branch is sick. When he feels better, we can try, but not until he feels better.” Poppy rubbed her arm nervously. “Can you keep a secret until I am ready?”

“Ok Poppy, but you know they will find out eventually. Better you tell them, then having them find out themselves.” Smidge smiled softly.

“I know Smidge. I will tell them. I just want to wait until Branch feels better. He should be better in a few days.” Poppy looked back at Branch’s room.

“Do I need to come with you? I can come for moral support.” Smidge smiled at her and hugged her.

“I would appreciate that Smidge. Thank you.” Poppy hugged her and then went back into the bedroom with Branch.

Smidge made her way back out of the bunker and headed home. She would keep Poppy’s secret, but she was going to put the pressure on. Poppy needed to tell the truth.

It took Branch another couple of weeks to feel better. He had come down with Pneumonia, and it had taken longer then expected for him to recover.

During this time, Smidge reminded Poppy almost daily that she needed to tell the truth. She was worried about her friend and feared that waiting would only make things worse.

Creek started to suspect something was going on and made it very difficult for Poppy to check on Branch. Almost every time she tried to sneak off, Creek stopped her. He knew something was going on, and he didn’t like that she was keeping secrets.

Sometimes it was Smidge who went to check on Branch, often with Guy Diamond. He had found out, because Smidge wasn’t going to keep secrets from him.

The extra pressure didn’t make it any easier for Poppy. Her aura was as dim as ever. She also was starting to feel sick herself. She finally excused herself from a party right after it started and ran towards Branch’s bunker. At this point she didn’t care if anyone followed.

“Where are you going Poppy?!” Creek ran after her. “The party just started!” He caught up and grabbed her hand. “What is going on?”

“Let me go Creek. I feel sick.” Poppy tugged on his hand, but Creek didn’t let go.

Branch had been watching from a distance. He came down from a tree branch and walked over. “She said let her go Creek.”

Smidge had followed Poppy and Creek, concerned about her sudden disappearance. She hid in the foliage and watched with wide eyes. “Oh no…” She whispered.

“Stay out of our business Branch. I asked Poppy where she was going.” Creek glared at Branch.

Poppy put her hand over her mouth and gagged. She really didn’t feel good. She tugged to try and get away, but Creek wasn’t letting go.

“I said, let her go!” Branch walked over and grabbed his arm. “Now!”

Creek let her go and sneered. “What the hell is your problem?!”

Poppy ran a short distance away from them and then began to puke.

“She told you she was sick, now leave her alone!” Branch let Creek go and walked over to Poppy. He began to comfort her.

Creek watched him walk over to Poppy and clenched his fists. He already suspected that Poppy was cheating on him, and this only made him more convinced. “Have you been lying to me Poppy?!” He walked over to them. His normally calm aura was flared and angry.

“I didn’t lie. I was just keeping secrets.” Poppy held her stomach. She didn’t feel good.

Branch got between Poppy and Creek. He didn’t like Creek’s attitude. He was ready to defend her with his life. “Go away Creek, this is between her and King Peppy.”

Smidge ran back towards the village. Mention of King Peppy gave her an idea. She would go get the king and bring him here. There was no more hiding the truth.

“I am not leaving! I want to know what is going on!” Creek pushed Branch away from Poppy. He was pissed.

Branch grit his teeth and pushed Creek back. “I said go away! Now!”

Poppy widened her eyes and scrambled away from them. She went behind some grass and blended in.

Creek clenched his fist and went to take a swing at Branch, but Branch dodged it. Branch took a hold of Creek by the arm and slammed him down on his back. Creek kicked at him and hit him under the chin. Branch stumbled back a few steps, and then jumped on Creek and began punching him.

King Peppy came to the scene with Smidge. He saw the two fighting, and saw that Branch had Creek pinned down, and was beating the glitter out of him. “That is enough!”

Smidge looked around for Poppy. She was worried about her. “Poppy?!” She startled when Poppy pulled her closer.

“I am ok Smidge…” Poppy looked down at her, and then toward Creek and Branch.

Branch got up immediately and lowered his head in respect.

Creek gave one more kick while Branch had his back to him. He then got up and brushed himself off. He had a bloody nose and a black eye.

Branch stumbled forward but managed to keep his footing.

King Peppy frowned, unimpressed by Creek’s move. That had been a cold move. “Where is Princess Poppy?”

“I’m here dad.” Poppy walked over to him and looked down.

“What is going on?” King Peppy watched the boys. He wanted to make sure they didn’t fight again.

Poppy began to explain what had been going on for the last month. She couldn’t make eye contact with anyone. She was so anxious, that she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She left out details but made it very clear that she was in love with Branch. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” King Peppy hugged her and rubbed her back soothingly. He wasn’t mad. He was just concerned.

“I didn’t think you would want me to be with a troll like Branch. You always talked about how much you liked Creek and thought he would make a good leader.” Poppy hugged into her dad and closed her eyes. She was still nervous, but she was glad that her father wasn’t yelling at her like Creek had.

“Yes, I think Creek would make a good leader, but I can’t make the choice of who you love Poppy. Branch is a strong troll and would also make a fine leader. He’s proven it tonight by protecting you.” King Peppy looked up at Branch and Creek. “It is Poppy’s choice to make. If she wants to be with Branch, she will be with him. You need to go Creek, now.”

Creek sneered and went stomping away. He was angry. Poppy had told him nothing about wanting to be with Branch, and he felt cheated.


	7. Fear Is a Four Letter Word

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppy and Branch get married. Creek takes out his revenge in an unexpected way.

King Peppy didn’t wait. He made immediate preparations, and made sure Branch and Poppy got married immediately. If this is what his daughter wanted, he was going to make sure it happened. This also helped reassure, that Princess Poppy’s decision on who would be future king had been made. He also had a lot to teach Branch, but their first priority was to make sure Poppy was taken care of. She was ill, and the wedding was short lived.

Branch carried Poppy towards his bunker. He was worried that she had caught the same bug that gave him Pneumonia. He set her in bed and sat at the edge of the bed. “Are you feeling any better?”

“Yeah, I am feeling better Branch.” Poppy smiled softly and placed her hand over his. “I’m so glad dad approves.” She closed her eyes and soon dozed off. She was exhausted.

Smidge and Guy Diamond had followed them to the bunker, and then headed home once they went inside. They talked about how happy they were for Princess Poppy and Prince Branch. It seemed things were looking up.

Creek had followed the couples, and overheard Smidge and Guy Diamond talking. It only made him angrier. As the couple left, he came out of the foliage and crossed his arms. “You two knew?!”

Smidge jumped back, startled by his sudden appearance. “Yeah, I knew. I promised Princess Poppy that her secret was safe for as long as she needed it to be safe.”

“And I wasn’t going to tell either. Smidge’s happiness is important to me.” Guy Diamond stayed between Creek and Smidge. He would protect her if he needed to.

Creek sneered and clenched his fists. “I thought we were friends.” He walked away, livid.

Smidge watched him go, and then looked up at Guy Diamond. “I’ve never seen him that angry.”

“He’ll cool off with time. Let’s go home and get settled. It’s been a long day.” Guy Diamond held her hand and walked with her towards their flower pod.

Creek followed them. He had a club in his hands. He grasped it as he moved closer. He gave one good swing and hit Smidge on the head. It knocked her unconscious. He then took a swing at Guy Diamond, but Guy grabbed the club as it came swinging.

“Are you crazy?!” Guy Diamond struggled to try and get a hold of the club. He lost grip and was quickly hit several times before going unconscious too.

It was about an hour later that they were found. Branch had left to go grab some herbs, when he came up to them both, unconscious. He ran to get help. He came back with several other trolls and they worked together to get Smidge and Guy Diamond back to Troll Village.

Smidge was the first to wake up, several hours later. She had a massive headache. She cracked her eyes open and glanced around. “What happened?”

“You were jumped.” DJ Suki was sitting right beside her. She was so relieved that Smidge had woke up. “You have a concussion and fractured skull, but your baby is ok.”

“My what?!” Smidge went to sit up, and winced, feeling intense pain from her head injury. She put her hand on her head and groaned.

“Yeah, when they checked you over, they found you were with pod. You didn’t know?” DJ Suki hugged her. She was excited for her, but also very worried, because she was hurt.

“Oh my god…” Smidge laid back down, dazed and hurting. “I didn’t know…” She frowned and looked at DJ Suki. “Where is Guy Diamond?” She looked scared. She wanted Guy Diamond now. She was worried about being with pod. She wasn’t exactly the same size as he was, and she worried about complications.

DJ Suki took her hand and caressed it. “Smidge, he was jumped too. He was critically injured. They are working with him now.”

“What?! Oh my god!” Smidge tried to get up, but DJ Suki shook her head and had her stay down. Smidge burst into tears and began to curse. “I need to see him now!”

DJ Suki pulled her into a hug. “You can’t see him right now. Not until they are done.” It broke her heart seeing Smidge so upset, but she knew Smidge was hurt, and she needed to stay in bed.

“He is that hurt?! Who did this?!” Smidge cried into DJ’s shoulder. She was extremely upset.

“We don’t know yet Smidge. Everyone is on guard. As soon as we know, you will know too.” DJ comforted her.

It took several more hours before Guy Diamond was considered stable. He was in a coma, and no one knew when he would wake up. He was in critical but stable condition. He had several broken bones and had a head injury. It was as if the attacker had tried to make it, so Guy Diamond didn’t remember the attack.

When Smidge was able to see him, she took his hand and held it. Tears fell down her cheeks, and she vowed she would take care of him, no matter what.


	8. Comfort From A Bestie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Princess Poppy comforts Smidge as Troll Village looks for an attacker.

A couple days went by since Guy Diamond and Smidge were attacked. Exhausted, and feeling down right awful, Smidge made her way into Branch’s bunker. She didn’t say a word as she crawled into bed with Branch and Poppy. She snuggled up behind Poppy and closed her eyes. Her heart so broken, that her bright aura was a dull gray.

Poppy felt Smidge and sat up. She saw her and pulled her into a hug. She was sad to see that Smidge had went gray. “Smidge, it’s going to be ok.” 

Branch looked up and saw that Smidge had crawled into bed with them. He got up and walked around to them and sat beside them in the bed. “Have they found your attacker?”

“No…” Smidge hugged into Poppy. She looked scared. “Can I stay here tonight? Please?”

“Yes, of course Smidge.” Poppy looked at Branch, to make sure that was ok.

“You are welcome to stay here Smidge. We need you safe.” Branch looked at Poppy and then at Smidge. He could only imagine the pain and fear she was experiencing at this time. “How is Guy Diamond?”

“He is still in a coma. Everyone is worried he might not make it.” Smidge cried into Poppy’s shoulder.

“He’ll pull through. He has you. He’ll fight to stay alive. I know he will.” Poppy reassured. She was optimistic and was really hoping that Guy Diamond would make a full recovery.

Branch lowered his head. He wasn’t as confident. He had seen Guy Diamond, and knew it was bad. He really hoped for Smidge that he would survive. “I’m so sorry Smidge.”

“I’m so scared. I just found out that I am with pod. If he dies…” Smidge breathed deep and cried hard. 

Poppy gasped and smiled wide. “That is wonderful news! You are going to be a great mom Smidge.”

A groan escaped Branch. This wasn’t good. The stress wasn’t good for Smidge or her baby, and she was so small. If she died too, who was going to raise the baby?

Smidge didn’t seem very confident. She clung to Poppy and hugged into her tight. “I’m scared Poppy.”

“It’s going to work out Smidge. We will be here for you, right Branch?” Poppy looked at Branch and smiled at him. She was fiercely protective of Smidge and wasn’t going to let her go through this alone.

“Yeah, of course.” Branch nodded and put his hand on Smidge’s shoulder to show his full supportive for her. He completely understood Smidge’s fears and hoped that this would work out OK for her.

Smidge sat down beside Poppy and held her head. Stress, tension, and her head injury had her hurting bad. She leaned back on the pillow and closed her eyes.

“Get some rest Smidge.” Poppy got up and covered her with her blanket. She looked at Branch, and then ran towards the bathroom. She barely made it to the toilet before getting sick.

Branch followed her and rubbed her back as she got sick. “We should get you checked out. You are hardly keeping anything down.”

“I’ll go get checked out tomorrow. Right now, Smidge needs us.” Poppy hovered over the toilet. She felt awful.

“Ok Poppy, I will take you into town tomorrow then. I am worried about you.” Branch took a cloth and wiped her face gently. Once she was cleaned up, he led her to the kitchen. “Mint tea might help.”

Poppy walked with him and sat down at the table. “Mint tea sounds good Branch. Thank you for taking care of me.”

“It is no problem at all Poppy.” Branch began to make the tea for her.

Back at Troll Village, everyone was looking for who attacked Smidge and Guy Diamond. It had obviously been another troll, but they were not sure who.

To avoid suspicions, Creek helped in the hunt for the attacker. He knew he had gone too far, but there was no going back on what he had done. He could only hope no one would find out that it was him. 

The only troll who could possibly know who it was that attacked them was Guy Diamond, and he hadn’t awoken from his coma. He was checked on often, but everyone who knew his condition knew it would be a miracle if he walked away from this and made a full recovery.


	9. Glitter Miracles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppy gets wonderful news. Guy Diamond wakes up from his coma. Does he remember who attacked him?

The next day came, and Poppy, Smidge, and Branch began to make their way to Troll Village. They wanted to check on Poppy first. She had had a rough night, and Branch wanted to see if there was anything that could be done to make her feel better.

When they arrived, Branch left her with medical trolls to be checked. He began to pace nervously. His mind plagued him with bad news.

“What are your symptoms?” The elder medical troll began examining her.

“I’ve been tired and throwing up. Branch is worried that I might have caught the same bug he had when he had Pneumonia.” Poppy laid down so that she could be checked over.

Smidge watched as Poppy was examined. She was quiet but did look concerned. She hoped that Poppy was alright. She didn’t need anything to happen to her too, when she already feared she would lose Guy Diamond. She had not heard an good news today, and that scared her.

After checking her over and examining her belly, the elder medical troll looked up and smiled. “Poppy, you are with pod. Congratulations.”

Princess Poppy gasped and put her hands to her mouth. She grinned ear to ear and hugged the medical troll. “This is great! Thank you! This is the best news ever!”

Smidge smiled softly and walked over. She hugged Poppy and buried her face into her dress. “I am so glad you are ok Poppy.”

Poppy walked with Smidge over to Branch. She smiled and hugged into him. “Branch, I am with pod!” She began to bounce up and down excitedly. This was very good news.

“You are with pod? This is great! I am glad it is not as bad as we feared.” Branch hugged her to him. He kissed her and ran his hand over her belly. He was nervous, but excited.

Relieved that Poppy was ok, Smidge headed for Guy Diamond and her flower pod. She went in and crawled into bed. She took Guy Diamond’s hand and caressed it. “Guy how are you feeling today? Please wake up, we need you…”

Guy Diamond’s fingers moved. He groaned and cracked his eyes open. He winced, feeling pain throughout his body. He looked around, and his eyes fell on Smidge. He smiled at her. “You are alive…” His last memory was of her falling to the ground.

Smidge widened her eyes and hugged into him gently. “Yeah, I am alive. Thank god you are awake.” She began to shake and cry. He had scared her. “We were attacked by another Troll. They are still searching for the one that hurt us.”

Guy went to comfort her, but found his right arm was fixed to his body with a cast. He winced and reached over with his left arm and held her. “How long was I out?”

“Three days.” Smidge sniffled and snuggled into him. “I was so scared I would lose you.”

“You won’t lose me that easy.” Guy Diamond put his hand up to his head. “My head is throbbing.” He tried to think of what happened right before he passed out, but it was fuzzy.

“You should take it easy. You almost died. Not many trolls thought you would wake up again.” Smidge grabbed his hand and sniffled. Her aura began to glow bright again. She had hope now that things would get better.

Guy Diamond smiled softly and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. He could see that she had a bruise on her head. “Are you alright?”

“I was injured, but I will make a full recovery. Guy? I have something very important to tell you.” Smidge put her hand on her belly and looked down, before she looked up at him at him again. She looked nervous.

“What’s wrong?” Guy Diamond watched her put her hand on her belly. He frowned, concerned that she had a belly ache or worse.

“I’m with pod.” Smidge hugged into him. She was excited and scared at the same time. Everyone had been reassuring her that it would work out just fine.

“You are?” Guy Diamond felt his heart skip a beat. Her same concerns also suddenly became his concerns too. He hugged her to him with his good arm and smiled softly. “That is good news.” He put his hand on her belly and smiled softly. “I have more reason to get better now. This little one will need me too.”


	10. A Sudden Relapse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guy Diamond takes a turn for the worst.

Guy Diamond wasn’t awake for long. He seemed to doze off, not long after finding out he was going to be a dad. Smidge thought he was taking a nap and snuggled up beside him. After a nice long nap, she woke up, feeling a wave of nausea. She scrambled out of bed and puked into a trashcan. When she finished, she looked up to see Guy was still out cold. Concerned, she walked over to his side of the bed and shook him gently. With all the pain he was in, he should have woken up. “Guy?!” Tears filled her eyes when she got no response. 

Cooper and Biggie walked up to their flower pod. They came to check on Guy Diamond. When they came in, they saw Smidge was upset, and walked over to comfort her. Smidge hugged into Cooper and cried.

“He’s going to be ok Smidge.” Cooper hugged her.

Biggie walked over to Guy Diamond and looked him over. “He is still out. Come on Guy, wake up.” He looked concerned.

“He was awake. He talked to me. I don’t understand!” Smidge looked over at Biggie. She had high hopes that their conversation had meant he was going to get better.

“He was awake? He isn’t anymore.” Cooper frowned, concerned. “Perhaps it was a dream?”

Biggie walked over to Smidge and hugged her gently. “Why don’t you take a break? We will watch him for a while. Go get something to drink and breathe some fresh air.”

Smidge hugged him back, and then left the flower pod. She stopped and got a drink of water, before walking to her favorite spot under the troll tree. She sat down and buried her face into her hands. She began to have a good cry.

No one really knew why Guy Diamond had woke up. Some argued it was for Smidge. He loved her so much and wanted to reassure her. Others thought perhaps she had dreamt that he woke up. Either way, he would remain in a coma for another week, before waking up again.

Smidge and Poppy were talking by the bed, when Guy Diamond woke up again. A soft groan escaped him. He hurt all over.

Branch looked up from a book he was reading and smiled softly. He set his book down and walked over to the bed. “Smidge, he is waking up.”

Smidge crawled into the bed and hugged into him. She teared up, worried that she was dreaming. His relapse had really scared her.

Guy Diamond cracked his eyes open and glanced around. He wasn’t as aware of his surroundings this time and went to take a swing as if he was still fighting for his life.

Branch grabbed Smidge and moved her away just in time. Guy Diamond had almost nailed her in the jaw.

Poppy watched, concerned over the sudden and aggressive movements from Guy Diamond. She walked over and looked at him. “Guy? What’s wrong?”

Smidge startled when Branch grabbed him. She squirmed out of his arms and hugged into Guy Diamond again. She didn’t want to let him go.

Intense pain surged through Guy Diamond. He yelped when he tried to get up. He was confused and disoriented.

Smidge startled and moved out of his way. She watched him squirm and teared up. She wasn’t sure what to do for him to make him feel better.

“I’ve heard that sometimes a Troll will wake up, thinking they are still doing what they were doing before they got knocked unconscious. Looks like he gave the attacker a good struggle.” Branch observed out loud.

Poppy gently put her hand on Guy Diamond’s shoulder. “Relax, it’s alright. You are safe.”

Guy Diamond calmed down and looked up at Poppy. He looked scared.

Smidge sat beside him and took his left hand. She caressed his hand reassuringly. “I’m right here, it will be ok.”

Guy Diamond looked at Smidge. A tiny smile came over him. He went to talk but couldn’t get any words out.

“Rest Guy, you were really badly injured. You need your strength.” Poppy watched on, hopeful that this was the beginning of his full recovery.


	11. An Unexpected Discovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guy Diamond starts the slow process of recovery. There are unexpected complications.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reader warning! Rape is implied in this chapter.

After Guy Diamond’s relapse, it took much longer for him to talk again. He never was able to regain memory of what happened the night he and Smidge were attacked. A few more weeks went by, and he was able to get out of bed. This came as a huge relief to all of his friends. He was making better progress then anyone ever expected.

Creek had been keeping his distance. He was concerned that Guy Diamond would remember that it was him that had attacked them. He spent most of his time by the river, meditating and trying to clear his mind.

Smidge was two months along, and so was Poppy. Both began to share ideas with each other about what they were going to do when their pod was due. They were both due at the same time, so it was exciting that their babies would be about the same age. 

Branch had spent quite a bit of his time training with King Peppy. Coronation day was coming up in another month, and he needed to be prepared. It wasn’t easy for Branch. He was a survivalist and had never prepared himself for the royal life. He had never imagined it would be his future.

Guy Diamond had spent this particular day, quiet and snuggled in bed. He still had a couple weeks left before his casts could be removed. He didn’t feel very hot today and had refused to eat.

Smidge watched him, concerned by his sudden downward spiral. She didn’t think he would go back into a coma, but she did worry that he was getting sick. She pushed fluids on him. “You need to keep your strength.”

“It’ll just come right back up.” Guy Diamond pushed the broth that she gave him away. He was very nauseous.

Smidge checked his forehead but didn’t feel a fever. She wasn’t sure what was going on with him. She took his broth and sat in a chair by the bed. “I love you…”

“I love you too Smidge.” Guy Diamond closed his eyes. He just wanted to sleep the yuck away.

Smidge drank the broth, and then got up and headed out of the flower pod. She walked down to the medical pod and talked to the elder medical troll. She led her back to the flower pod and had her look Guy Diamond over.

The elder medical troll checked Guy Diamond over, and then took Smidge aside. She looked concerned. “Smidge, I have bad news. It appears that Guy Diamond is with pod.” She knew females couldn’t get males pregnant, so the only way Guy Diamond could have been impregnated was if he was mated with another male. “Come with me, we need to deliver the news to King Peppy. This will narrow the search for your attack by half.”

“That son of a bitch!” Smidge cursed and clenched her fists. She was livid. She wanted to find out who the attacker was, so she could beat the glitter out of him. She walked with the elder medical troll out of the flower pod and towards King Peppy’s flower pod. She was tense and looked around. She glared at all the males she passed by. Who had hurt her special?

King Peppy was talking with Branch in his flower pod. They were going over escape routes and war matters, just in case there was an attack. When the elder knocked on the flower pod, King Peppy opened it up. “Yes?”

“Good afternoon King Peppy, I have an urgent matter to bring up to you. I just found out that Guy Diamond is with pod. He would have been conceived at the time he was attacked.” The elder medical troll explained.

“It was a male. Very well, that narrows our search down considerably. If he doesn’t come forward before the birth, we might get more clues when the trolling is born.” King Peppy looked down at Smidge. “Don’t worry Smidge, we will find him.”

Branch walked over and looked between them. He had heard everything. “Is there anything I can do to help with the situation?”

“You will be king soon. You will need to decide on how this male is punished when he is found out. I know you will make the right choice.” King Peppy looked towards Poppy’s flower pod. “Smidge, can you go see Princess Poppy please? We need to discuss these matters, and I don’t want to upset you.”

Smidge grumbled and began to walk towards Poppy’s flower pod. She knocked on the door and stepped back when it opened. She still looked livid.

Poppy got up and hugged Smidge. She could tell she was upset. “What’s wrong?”

“That monster got Guy Diamond pregnant!” Smidge sneered but did hug Poppy back. “I’m going to kill him!”

“Easy Smidge, you need to think about your own pod. Take deep breaths.” Poppy sat down and crossed her legs. She wanted to help Smidge calm down.

Smidge grit her teeth and took a few breaths. She slowly calmed down and looked down at her feet. “How am I going to tell him? He did nothing wrong. I don’t understand why we were attacked.”

“Just tell him the truth. Perhaps knowing will help spark his memory. We really need to find out who did it so that this doesn’t happen again.” Poppy hugged Smidge again. “I will come with you when you tell him, alright?”

“Thank you Poppy.” Smidge hugged her back and sat down. She was still trying to register what was going on. “What about the baby?” She had mixed feelings about this and wasn’t sure how Guy Diamond was going to handle raising a child that wasn’t her baby too.

“It’s not the baby’s fault. Raise it?” Poppy smiled softly. “Another little one to love.”

Smidge gave a sharp nod, but still wasn’t so sure. She needed to see how Guy Diamond handled this. “Come with me? I should tell him.” Smidge stood back up and stretched out. She headed out the door. Poppy followed her.

Guy Diamond had fallen asleep. When the flower pod opened, he startled awake and winced as he looked around. He saw it was Smidge and relaxed. “Hey beautiful…”

Smidge crawled into bed and sat beside him. “Guy, I have something I need to talk to you about. It’s about the attack.”

Poppy sat down in a chair beside the bed. She leaned forward, prepared to give emotional support.

“Did they find who hurt us?” Guy Diamond sat up a little and looked between them. He was really hoping they had found who. He was still very angry that Smidge had been hurt.

“No, he hasn’t been found.” Smidge took his hand and squeezed it gently. “When the medical troll examined you, she found out you were with pod.”

Guy Diamond raised a brow and stared at her. He had no memory of anything happening. “How can I be with pod? I haven’t been with a male troll.”

“We are worried that the attacker got you pregnant.” Smidge frowned and squeezed his hand. She was worried about him.

Princess Poppy reached over and took his other hand. “We are here for you Guy. You won’t have to do this alone.”

“Oh…” Guy Diamond swallowed hard and looked down at his stomach. He wasn’t sure how to react. The facts needed to register.

“I love you, and we can get through this.” Smidge hugged into him. It was a hard fact to swallow, but they had each other. She would support him, no matter what happened.


	12. Coronation Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The big day arrives for Prince Branch and Princess Poppy.

The day for coronation had come. Branch was pacing nervously. He had a lot on his mind and was extremely nervous. He wanted to make the best impression in front of the whole village. He thought of the speech he had prepared.

Guy Diamond was right there with him. He was walking with a cane, but was upright and walking, which was a considerable improvement considering it had only been two months earlier that he was on death’s door. He walked up to Branch and put his hand on his shoulder. “You can do this Branch. You are going to be a great King.”

Princess Poppy was far from nervous. She was super excited. She was going over the plans she had with Smidge. She wanted lots of singing, dancing, and glitter. A bunch of glitter. She was shaking with excitement as she prepared a scrapbook depicting her plans.

Smidge watched and listened to the plans and smiled. She was excited and hoped that everything would go as planned. This was a big day for her best friend. She would do everything she could to make it great.

The tension from the pervious two months seemed almost forgotten today. Everyone was in a good mood and were singing and dancing as they decorated. 

Creek was right beside everyone else, enjoying himself and engaging in the celebration. It had seemed that he had got away with the attack, and it was a huge relief to him.

King Peppy stepped out and raised his hands. Everyone calmed down and looked up at him. “Thank you everyone for gathering here today. I have gathered you all here today, to celebrate two very special trolls.” He turned to Poppy and took her hand. “I would like to present to you, our new queen.” He raised her hand up. Everyone cheered. He then took Branch’s hand. “And our new king.” He raised Branch’s hand up in the air, and everyone whooped excitedly.

“Thank you, dad. Thank you everyone for coming. We are honored to be here today and will take our responsibilities seriously. We want nothing but the best for Troll Village.” Queen Poppy turned and gave Peppy a hug.

King Branch looked around. A soft smiled cracked. To be cheered and celebrated felt so good. He was starting to get his colors back as he put his hand up. “Thank you everyone, I will do my best to take my duties seriously. We are both serious when we say no troll left behind.”

Everyone in the crowd roared. They had never seen Branch this happy, and it made them happy to see that their new king had regained his happiness.

“Branch…” Poppy smiled and hugged him. She was very happy to see his true colors. She had never seen them before, and she loved it.

Peppy smiled and stepped down so that the new king and queen could celebrate their coronation with the crowd. It had seemed like only yesterday that she was just a little newborn, and she was all grown up. He couldn’t be prouder.


	13. Up A Creek Without A Paddle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Creek realizes that Guy Diamond is pregnant. How will he handle the situation?

As another month passed in Troll Village, lives began to return to normal. Smidge had a tiny baby bump, and it appeared she might have a tiny baby, much to her relief. Poppy was getting rounder by the minute, and appeared to be carrying twins, much to her excitement and Branch’s concern. Guy Diamond was also starting to show, and he had decided to keep the baby and raise the baby as if he or she would have been Smidge’s baby.

Guy Diamond still walked around with a cane. It was taking his right leg a painfully long time to heal. He still had mild amnesia and was at times forgetful. It was getting better every day, but he was worried he may not make a complete recovery after the attack. He was extremely grateful of Smidge, who was helpful as much as she could handle. The only issue she was starting to have, was she was struggling to bend over to pick things up.

As the day of one hundred feasts came to Troll Village, everyone began to gather together. The weather was much warmer now, and food was plentiful. The would eat good today and celebrate the start of summer.

Poppy made rounds to each guest. She was not as hyper as she normally was, because her pod had slowed her down a little. She was going to have to leave this responsibility to Branch soon. She wasn’t sure if she liked not being a part of the party, but she would do what she needed to do to keep their babies safe.

Branch was checking off a list. He wanted to make sure that they had everything. He was a very organized king and tried to keep things in order. Poppy would always add to his plans later, but he expected that with all her enthusiasm for parties. He also made sure everything was safe. He could never be too cautious when there were trolls with pod and trollings walking around.

Guy Diamond walked with Smidge to the party and settled near Branch as they waited for more guests to arrive. Branch had declared that they were his right-hand man and woman, so they were in right beside him during each celebration. This made Poppy very happy. She loved that her best friend was with them during every celebration, celebrating right beside them.

Once the food was gathered, everyone sat down and began to eat. Everyone was there and enjoyed the food that was prepared. Everyone began to talk about Poppy. They were getting excited about the future heir. They wondered if she would have boys, girls, or one of each gender.

Creek settled in with his own plate and looked around. His eyes laid rest at Guy Diamond. He noticed that he was round in the midsection. His eyes widen, and he suddenly left as fast as his legs allowed. He was really freaking out.

Branch noticed Creek’s suddenly flee and disturbing facial expression. “That’s odd. I wonder what has him in such a big hurry.” He looked around, worried that a predator was nearby and he hadn’t seen or heard it.

“He probably forgot something.” Poppy smiled at Branch, and then began to eat. She was one very hungry mama and wasn’t as concerned. She didn’t hear or see anything. She was more worried about the party.

Branch wasn’t so sure but did stay and enjoy the meal with the village. He stuck around for Poppy, but he decided he would keep his eyes peeled on Creek. He was acting suspicious. 

Back at his flower pod, Creek paced the floor. He was concerned now that he would be caught after all. “Well this is just great. Now what do I do?” He sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at the wall. If he stayed, he might get caught if the baby looked like him, but if he left, he could get eaten. A lone troll was a dead troll. “I am just going to avoid them at all costs.”


	14. A Huge Slip Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Creek finally gets caught and is in huge trouble.

About another month came and went in Troll Village. Creek avoided everyone at all costs, and this was starting to really bother Branch. He began to put the pieces together. Creek had been very angry right before Guy Diamond and Smidge were attacked and those two were close to him and Poppy. It almost seemed like a good way to get revenge. Targeting the royal friends instead of the royal family themselves to avoid getting caught. 

There was one problem. Branch didn’t want to assume. He began looking for clues. He really didn’t want to wait another two months for Guy Diamond to give birth. He needed answers sooner. He began following Creek silently when he walked to the river every day. He knew that Creek was bond to slip up eventually if he was guilty.

This suspicion was known by Poppy too. Branch told her everything, and she had a bad feeling he was right. She put Fuzzbert and DJ Suki in charge of the parties, so that Branch could investigate and so that she could go on maternity leave. Her due date was weeks away, and she didn’t need to risk her unborn babies. Getting to the due date was very hard when carrying twins.

Smidge was now also on maternity leave. She was getting too uncomfortable to make it to parties anymore. Branch hadn’t told her yet about his suspicions, because he didn’t want to bring on undue stress. It was bad enough that he told Poppy. He was very protective.

Guy Diamond had made more improvement the last month, and was walking without assistance, and with only a limp. His memory was better too, but he never going to remember the attack.

Branch brought Guy Diamond with him to watch Creek. They both watched the young spiritual troll meditate. They were hoping he would slip up soon, because soon they were not going to be able to for a while. Branch needed to be home for Poppy, and Guy Diamond needed to be home for Smidge.

Creek couldn’t clear his mind and got up soon after starting. Frustrated, he kicked a pebble into the river. He sighed and looked at a flower. “I wish I had never attacked them.”

Branch sneered but held his ground. He saw Guy Diamond make a move and stopped him. “Not yet.” He whispered.

“They are going to find out soon, and my life is going to be ruined. I should have made sure he died.” Creek sighed and put his hand in the water. “Perhaps I can still drown him.” He was trying to think of a way out of trouble.

Branch had heard enough. He came out and grabbed Creek by the hair. “You are coming with me.” He headed towards Troll Village.

Guy Diamond came out and began following them. He looked extremely angry. “You cracked Smidge’s skull! If I wasn’t with pod, I would beat the glitter out of you!”

Creek’s eyes went wide, and he struggled as he was dragged by Branch towards Troll Village. “Please don’t kill me!”

“I should kill you for attempted murder and rape! Don’t try me Creek!” Branch got back to the Village and pinned Creek down. “Guy Diamond get Poppy. We need to decide on a punishment.”

Guy Diamond nodded and hurried towards Poppy’s flower pod.

Poppy and Smidge were in Poppy’s flower pod, visiting and talking about names. They went over a huge list of names for boys and for girls. When Guy Diamond knocked, Poppy opened her flower pod. “Hello Guy, what is it?”

“We found out who attacked Smidge and I.” Guy Diamond helped Smidge up, and then offered his hand to Poppy. He helped her stand and headed back outside.

Smidge clenched her fists and headed out of the flower pod and walked with Guy Diamond. She was steaming.

Poppy was right behind them. “Is it who we suspected?” She was really hoping Creek would never do such a terrible thing. It didn’t seem like something he would do.

“Yes, it was Creek.” Guy Diamond approached Branch, who still had Creek pinned to the ground.

Smidge tackled into Creek and began punching him angrily. “You hurt Guy, you son of a bitch! I’m going to kill you!”

“Smidge?!” Branch sighed and let her take a few more punches, before pulling her off him. “That’s enough.”

Poppy came up and frowned. She looked disappointed. “Creek, how could you?”

Creek looked between them and then at the other villagers as they began to gather. He was pretty sure he was a dead troll now. He looked scared.

“Let me go! I’m going to kill him!” Smidge struggled a little bit. She was very willing to kill him off herself. “There was no taking back the damages he had done!” She stopped, feeling a contraction. She put her hands on her belly and groaned.

“I know Smidge but think of your pod.” Branch held her arm. He was waiting for her to calm down.

Guy Diamond took Smidge by the hand and led her over to Poppy. “Branch will handle the situation Smidge. Creek will be punished.”

Smidge sneered but walked with Guy Diamond over to Poppy. She leaned on Guy Diamond for support. She was very uncomfortable.

Branch waited for Smidge to settle, and then looked at Creek again. “A punishment will be decided, and you will suffer the consequences of your actions. You will regret making the poor decisions you have made. Poppy, have you decided on the punishment?”

Poppy nodded and put her hand on Branch’s shoulder. “His punishment will be slavery.” She figured it would be a fate worse than death. 

“Very well. Creek, I declare from this day forth, you will become a slave for Guy Diamond and Smidge for causing undue harm to both of them and causing them to have a child they were not expecting to have.” Branch let Creek go. “If you harm anyone else again, you will be killed. Is this understood?”

“Yes your majesty.” Creek avoided eye contact but did sit up. “I apologize for the wrong doing I have caused.”

“I do not want him anywhere near our children!” Smidge glared at Creek. She didn’t trust him. “He almost killed Guy Diamond!” She held her belly, feeling another contraction.

“I agree Branch. I don’t want them near the children either. He did say he wanted to drown me.” Guy Diamond looked concerned.

“Very well, we will lock him up until we decide where he will go.” Branch grabbed Creek and headed for his bunker. He knew where he would put him. He had a lock out unit that only he could access.

Poppy watched Branch go. She turned to Guy Diamond and Smidge. “I can’t believe he did that to you two. I am so sorry.”

Smidge clenched her fists as she watched them go. She took a deep breath, and then looked up at Guy Diamond. “I want to kill him!”

Guy Diamond pulled Smidge into a hug and rubbed her back gently. “I know you do, but right now is not a good time. You have our pod to worry about.” He put his hand on her belly gently.

Smidge groaned and moved his hand away. “Please don’t touch right now.” She sounded angry. Pain had only made her mood fouler.

“Are you ok Smidge?” Poppy watched on, concerned.

Guy Diamond frowned and took her hand. “What’s wrong Smidge?” He looked concerned. He knew she was angry, but he sensed something else was bothering her.

“I think I am in labor.” Smidge squeezed his hand tight. Stress and unexpected movements had caused her labor to start.

“Let’s get you home. Hopefully it’s false labor.” Poppy smiled softly and headed towards their flower pod. She was hoping it was not premature labor.

Guy Diamond looked nervous. He picked Smidge up gently and walked towards their flower pod. “It’s going to be alright. I got you.”

“You shouldn’t be carrying me.” Smidge rested her head on his shoulder and groaned. She was just as protective of him as he was of her.

Poppy opened the flower pod and grabbed a couple of pillows. She made the bed comfortable for Smidge. “I can stay here and help if you like? Branch probably won’t be back for a little while anyway.” She smiled softly. If Smidge had her baby, she wanted to be there for her.

“You are not that heavy.” Guy Diamond smiled softly. He knew how protective Smidge was, but he didn’t want her walking. If they could avoid premature labor, it would be better for the baby. When they went in, he set Smidge down and got her comfortable. He sat beside her and held her hand. He frowned, noticing that there was blood on his body from Smidge. It was not a good sign.

“Please stay.” Smidge squeezed Guy Diamond’s hand during the next contraction. “But no helping. You don’t need to go into labor too.” She was protective of Poppy.

“You have a deal.” Poppy crawled into the bed and sat beside Smidge. She took her other hand. “Squeeze if you need to.”

Back at Branch’s bunker, Creek had been settled in the lock down unit. He was given a modest amount of food and water. “You will stay here and think about what you have done. I will be back later to talk to you.” He locked the door behind him and headed out of the bunker and towards Troll Village.

Once back at the Village, Branch began to look for Poppy, Guy Diamond, and Smidge. He found out that they had went back to Guy Diamond and Smidge’s flower pod. He made his way over and knocked.

Guy Diamond got up and let Branch in. Once Branch stepped in, he closed the flower pod. “Our baby is coming.” He sat down by Smidge and rubbed her back gently.

Branch frowned and went to sit by Poppy and took her hand. “Isn’t the baby early?” He looked down at Smidge with concern.

“I am afraid so.” Smidge grit her teeth. “Oh my god, it hurts…”

After two more hours of labor, Smidge gave birth to a tiny yellow glitter baby girl with long white hair and a tiny green nose. Guy Diamond caught her and cleaned her up and gently tried to get the little one to cry. She looked so tiny and fragile. She struggled to breathe.

Smidge sat up and helped clean her daughter with the blanket. She took her when she struggled to breathe and started to pat her on her back. She wasn’t going to give up on her daughter without a fight. After several good pats, the little one began to cry.

Guy Diamond sighed in relief and hugged Smidge gently. “You did such a good job mama.” He put his hand over her hand and smiled at their newborn. “She is so beautiful.”

Poppy and Branch had watched the struggle and were relieved when the little one cried. The smiled and held hands. In a few weeks, they were going to go through the same thing themselves.

“I want to call her Daisy.” Smidge smiled softly and cradled her newborn daughter. All of her pain had been forgotten. Her little girl had been worth it.

“Daisy is a great name for our little girl.” Guy Diamond kissed her gently. He was a very proud daddy.


	15. A Fatal Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone seems at peace now that the attacker has been found. Their peace of mind doesn’t last long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reader warning, graphic details ahead. Read at your own risk!

Exhausted from a long day of helping Smidge, Queen Poppy settled to bed in the royal flower pod. King Branch made his way back to his bunker to checked on Creek. He would find someone to watch him regularly once he decided on who would be best suited for the job. When he arrived at his bunker, he went down to his lock down unit, and found it empty. The lock had been broken open with a pic, and Creek had escaped.

Branch cursed and looked around. He pulled out a knife and looked around for Creek. “I should have left someone to watch you.” It was a mistake he would never make again. He was unable to find Creek. He had left the bunker hours earlier. He left the bunker and ran towards Troll Village. Once back, he told scouts to keep an eye out for Creek. He had a family to protect and needed to get back to Queen Poppy.

Once he made his escape, Creek had made his way home and began gathering supplies. He ate a good meal and headed towards the outskirts of Troll Village. He sat down under a mushroom and blended in. He began formulating a plan. He wasn’t going to be someone’s slave, he refused. His only other choice was certain death. He decided he wasn’t going to leave this world without taking some other trolls with him. He thought of who he wanted to kill. Branch was right up there on his list, and so was Guy Diamond. They were not going to be easy to kill. He would kill them last. He decided he would start with members of Guy Diamond and Smidge’s family first.

During the night, Creek snuck into Guy Diamond’s younger sister’s flower pod. He took a knife and slit her throat. She woke up, feeling the cut and the warmth of her own blood gushing from her throat. She had a look of panic as she watched her attacker stab her multiple times. She was unable to scream. She was dead moments later. Creek left her flower pod and ran into the darkness of the night. One down and several more to go.

As morning rose, a blood curdling scream was heard throughout the village. Branch heard the scream and ran towards it. He came up to find the bloody murder scene. Her mother had found her and was sobbing over her body.

Many of the trolls gathered and gave support as they mourned the death of the young troll. Branch immediate suspected Creek and started a massive troll hunt. Creek needed to be found as soon as possible.

Creek’s next victim was not planned. A scout found him, and a struggle began. Creek soon overpowered him and bashed his head in with a rock. He glared at the motionless body before running off to hide somewhere else.

A few hours later, Creek found Guy Diamond’s older brother. He was gathering flowers for his deceased sister. He had made the mistake of leaving by himself. Creek came up behind him and stabbed him in the back. A struggle began, but he quickly lost blood from his stab wound. When he died, Creek grabbed his knife and put it away. He wiped blood from his mouth, and then ran off to hide again.

As the day went on, Creek found and killed five more trolls, three of which were related to Guy Diamond, and two related to Smidge. He took refuge in an old abandoned worm hole.

Everyone in Troll Village was now on guard. Branch, Poppy, Guy Diamond, Smidge, and little Daisy were all under strict protection, in the royal flower pod, and were watched around the clock. Everyone feared that Creek would assassinate the royal family and the royal friends.

Guy Diamond was extremely upset. He had spent the entire day holding onto Smidge and their tiny baby girl. He had lost five family members and was terrified he would lose his Smidge and their baby too. He was so stressed that he had lost his colors. Everyone was worried he would lose his pod. The stress was not good for him or his baby.

Smidge was also upset. She had lost her baby sister and older brother. She was worried that she would lose her new family too. She had also gone gray in mourning for their tragic losses.

Queen Poppy stayed close to Guy Diamond and Smidge as they mourned. She also had her father with them. She wasn’t going to risk him dying too. She was worried about Branch. He had insisted on helping with the troll hunt. She didn’t want to lose him.

During the night, after Smidge had fed Daisy, and tucked her in next to Guy Diamond in a little cradle, she grabbed a knife, and headed outside. She moved quietly and swiftly. She didn’t want anyone to stop her. Creek had taken away enough of their family. She was going to do what she had wanted to do for months. She was going to kill him.

Smidge looked around for Creek. She was sore, having given birth the night before. Her pain was insignificant to her, and adrenaline had masked her pain. She was determined to end this madness. She would avenge her family and Guy Diamond’s family.

Creek was planning his next move when he saw Smidge walk by the worm hole. He pulled out his knife and began to creep towards Smidge. He hadn’t planned to kill her, but she was an easy target. He raised his knife as he came closer, but Smidge heard him and dodged him as he ran his knife down towards her. The knife grazed her shoulder.

Smidge rolled out of his way and grabbed her knife. She clenched it in her hands and sneered. “You messed with the wrong family!” She charged him, knife drawn and ready. She aimed for his lower abdomen. She wanted him to have a slow and painful death. She made contact and pulled down hard.

As Smidge made contact, Creek took his own knife, and stabbed her in the arm. He had aimed for her neck but had missed. He gasped in pain, feeling his belly being slashed open. He grabbed her and pinned her down and punched her so hard in the jaw that it snapped. “I am the last face you will ever see!” He grabbed his knife and pulled it out of her arm.

Smidge stretched her hair out and grabbed his arm. She kept him from stabbing down. She glanced around and tried to think of what to do. He had her pinned down good and she couldn’t move either of her arms. She could feel his organs slowly dropping down on her legs. She braced herself the best she could, and gave him a hard kick, right into his stomach wound. She rolled away as he stumbled back. She held her bleeding arm and grabbed her knife again. She watched him and spit out blood. 

Creek stumbled onto his knees and face planted. He was in a lot of pain.

Smidge grasped her knife and moved towards him. She thought incorrectly that he had died. As she approached, he grabbed her by the leg and stabbed her in the lower abdomen, thinking she was still with pod. She screamed in pain and stabbed down on his throat, before stumbling back and collapsing. She passed out from the pain. 

Creek coughed up blood and gasped for air. He began to drown in his own blood. It wasn’t long before he lost the fight for life.

Back in Troll Village, Poppy had woken to go to the bathroom, and found that Smidge was not in the flower pod. She frowned and shook Branch awake. “Smidge is gone!” She looked worried.

Branch scrambled out of bed and looked around. He saw Guy Diamond and Daisy but didn’t see Smidge. “Stay here!” He left the flower pod and got Biggie and Cooper. They began to look franticly for Smidge. They were worried Creek had killed her.

It took half an hour before they found her. Biggie checked her over and found she had two stab wounds, a cut, and a broken jaw. He grabbed gauze and began wrapping her arm, and then put pressure on her belly wound. “She’s alive, but only just.” He picked her up and ran towards Troll Village.

Cooper walked over to Creek and shook his head. “Branch? I think he is dead.”

Branch knelt down by Creek and checked for life. “You are correct Cooper. He is dead. Let’s hurry back. Smidge will need us.” He followed Biggie back towards Troll Village with Cooper right beside him. He had left Creek behind so that scavengers could have him. He wasn’t going to give him a decent funeral after what he had done.

Once they arrived back at Troll Village, medical trolls got to work on Smidge. She was on death’s door. She had lost a considerable amount of blood. Only time could tell if they had found the young mother in time.


	16. A Mourning Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tragedy has fallen for the trolls of Troll Village. Two families have suffered a great loss. Will they lose another?

Smidge’s wounds were stitched up and her condition was stabilized. She was immediately moved into the royal flower pod to be with Guy Diamond. She was unconscious still and it was unclear if she would survive. It had been decided that she needed to be with her family, just in case she lost her fight.

Guy Diamond was awake and cradled tiny Daisy as he watched Smidge breathe. He was terrified that he would lose her. He looked at his daughter, and frowned, realizing that she was due for a feeding soon. “Who will feed Daisy while Smidge recovers? Who will feed her if she dies?!” Tears filled his eyes and ran down his cheeks.

“Don’t think like that Guy. She’s going to make it. She has to make it.” Poppy had Smidge’s hand. She was worried that her best friend would die but was trying really hard to be optimistic. “We will figure out how to feed Daisy.”

Branch came into the flower pod. He had a newborn baby in his arms. “Is Smidge awake?” He looked sad. “This little one’s mother just died and his father died this morning because of Creek.” He wasn’t sure how or why his mother died, yet. He gave the baby to Poppy, knowing she would want to look at him.

“No, she is still out cold.” Guy Diamond shook his head and looked up. He recognized the little boy. He looked just like his older brother. It broke his heart to know that his little nephew was just orphaned. “We are going to need to find a way to feed Daisy too, or we will lose two more lives.” Daisy woke and began to cry. She was hungry and had a full diaper. Guy Diamond changed her and looked at Branch and Poppy. He wasn’t sure what to do.

Smidge woke, hearing her baby cry. She groaned and cracked her eyes open. She was in a lot of pain. She reached for her baby. She wanted her, but her jaw hurt too much to talk.

“Smidge, you are awake…” Poppy smiled. She was so glad that Smidge had awaken.

Guy Diamond looked relieved and helped Smidge with Daisy. “Here you go mama.” He sighed and watched her feed their baby. “You scared me! Don’t do that again…”

Branch watched, and then glanced at the little orphan. It looked like they may not lose the babies after all, but would Smidge be able to handle feeding another baby?

Smidge finished feeding Daisy and gave her back to Guy Diamond. She looked over at Poppy and saw she was holding a baby but didn’t see his colors yet. She widened her eyes, worried that Poppy had given birth early too.

Poppy offered the baby to Smidge. “Can you feed him please? He doesn’t have a mama anymore…” She frowned, sad for the little guy.

Smidge took the newborn and began to feed him too. She was relieved that Poppy hadn’t had her babies early but was sad that he was orphaned. She watched the little emerald green glitter baby feed. “Mmm…” She teared up and started to cry. It had been a very difficult day for them all.

“It’s Emerald’s son. I didn’t even know they had a baby until his family went to their flower pod and found him in a cradle. She was in her bed, dead.” Details about that whole situation were still being gathered, but Branch was sure he had been born recently.

Guy Diamond set Daisy in her cradle and then took his nephew when he was done feeding. He set him by his cousin and watched them. Who was going to raise his little nephew?

Smidge grabbed the blanket tight and attempted to talk. It wasn’t easy, and she kept moving her jaw, which hurt a lot. “Keep him?” She had tears running down her cheeks. She was in so much pain, but after all their loss, she wasn’t going to let new life go. It was new hope and right now they needed that.

“Keep Emerald’s son? If you are sure Smidge.” Guy Diamond took her hand gently and squeezed it. “I will get you a writing pad so you don’t have to cause yourself more pain.” He had noticed that talking had caused her more pain.

Branch looked relieved. It appeared they were not going to lose anymore trolls from this tragic murderous rampage. Now they got to look forward to peace, and the birth of Queen Poppy’s twins.


	17. A Royal Birth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poppy has her twins, and a royal debate ensues.

Smidge had survived a near fatal fight with Creek and started the long road to recovery. She had her jaw fixed to her head, so she couldn’t move it much and was only allowed soft foods to eat. Guy Diamond would feed her while she fed their daughter and his nephew. When she needed something, she wrote it down. With her injuries she wasn’t getting out of bed much. She didn’t like that Guy Diamond had to do so much of the work when he was with pod. He kept insisting it was fine and that it was only fair after she had taken such good care of him when he was injured.

They had decided to name the little emerald green baby boy, Emerald Junior, after his father. They would call him Emery for short. He was much larger than Daisy, but it was nice to have another warm body next to Daisy. She was so tiny, and Smidge had been worried she would get too cold.

Guy Diamond and Smidge slowly regained their colors. For Smidge’s brave actions, she was declared a hero, and was given the royal honor of being declared Duchess. This also meant that Guy Diamond became Duke. This was Poppy’s decision. Branch asked her if she could do that since they were not from the royal family. She reassured him that she was queen, and her declarations were firm standing. Smidge deserved this honor, and she wasn’t going to have it any other way.

Two weeks after the mass murder spree, Queen Poppy went into labor. She requested that Smidge be by her side. Branch was there too of course, and former King Peppy sat nearby to welcome the new heir to the throne. 

The birth of the first baby came along smoothly. Poppy’s firstborn was a little girl. She had bright red-violet skin and royal blue hair. Her eyes hinted towards blue, but it seemed there was something odd about her right eye. It had a slight shade of purple to it. It was extremely rare for trolls to have different colored eyes. Branch saw it as a very good sign.

The birth of the second born was not as easy for Poppy. After a painful struggle, she gave birth to a little boy. He looked just like Branch, but his hair was violet instead of royal blue.

King Peppy walked over and smiled at the twins. He was a proud grandpa. “Looks like he will make a fine king one day.”

Branch looked up when Peppy said that. “But the girl was born first. She should be the heir.” He saw her special eyes as a sign, he really wanted and hoped she would be the future heir.

“Branch, it has been law for as long as scrapbooking that it is the first-born son that gets the throne. Our son will be the future king.” Poppy smiled at him. “He will be a great king.”

Branch frowned and looked down at the twins. His heart told him that their daughter was special. He looked up at Poppy again. “I have a feeling she is going to be special.”

“Poppy, perhaps Branch has a point. You both have made great changes for Troll Village. Laws can change if they mean a better future.” King Peppy looked at the girl. He smiled, seeing why Branch was so insistent. “This little girl has a bright future. I am sure you will make the right decision.”

Poppy smiled at her father and turned to Branch. “Alright, she can be the future heir.”

Branch smiled and kissed Poppy. “You did a great job. Have you thought of names?”

Poppy smiled and nodded. She cradled her daughter. “This one looks like a little Lily.” She turned and kissed her son’s cheek. “This one looks like a Lotus flower.” Her aura was bright with joy.

Branch smiled softly. He was hoping for stronger names. “Do we have to stick to flower names?”

“You were named after a tree branch. I think we will stick to flower names.” Poppy smirked at him.

“Solid burn Poppy. Very well, Lily and Lotus. When you are up to going outside, we will announce their births.” Branch kissed her forehead.

Smidge had silently watched the whole thing and was very happy for Poppy and Branch. She had Daisy and Emery with her. She already pictured these four having a cute bond and growing up together as great friends, just like she had with Poppy.

Once Poppy had bonded with her twins and got a nap in, Branch helped her out of the flower pod and called the villagers over. Poppy had Lily in her right arm, and Lotus in her left arm. She smiled as the trolls gathered and gasped. She was so excited. Smidge stood beside her. She had Daisy in her arms. Guy Diamond was next to Branch with little Emery in his arms. 

“Thank you for gathering here. This morning, our future queen was born, along with a little Prince. I would love to present to you, Princess Lily and Prince Lotus.” Branch smiled as everyone cheered. He was a very proud father.

Poppy watched on and smiled. She was sore, but it had been worth it to come out and celebrate the birth of their children. She was sure this day would be celebrated with great enthusiasm.

Shortly after their introduction, Poppy went back into her flower pod and settled down with the twins. She smiled down at her daughter. No one had rejected the idea of letting her rule one day. This made her happy.

Smidge followed her in and gently set Daisy down. She grabbed a piece of paper and began to write. Once she was done, she handed it to Poppy. 

Poppy began to read it. It wrote ‘They are beautiful Poppy. Thank you for letting Guy Diamond and I share this special day with you. We are going to head home now and let you rest.’ She looked up and smiled. “Thank you for being here for me. Get some rest Smidge. You deserve it.” She hugged her gently.

Smidge hugged her back, and then picked up little Daisy. She walked out the door and towards her flower pod. Once inside, she fed Daisy and then settled her into her cradle.

Guy Diamond came in as she set Daisy down to sleep. He sat down with Emery and changed his diaper. Once he was done, he helped Smidge with feeding him. “Today was a long day. Are you handling your pain ok?” He was worried about her.

Smidge gave a small nod. She hurt all over but being there for Poppy and Branch had been worth it.


	18. An Epic Disaster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peace in Troll Village does not last long.

Five more weeks went by, and everything seemed right in the world of the trolls. Guy Diamond was nearing his due date, and his family was growing fast. Daisy had gained some weight and didn’t look as fragile anymore. Emery was getting big too and was very bonded to Daisy already. He didn’t like being away from her. It was almost like they had been born as twins. They even cried together too.

Smidge had made a great recover. She had residual pain from her injuries, but she was doing much better, and was able to eat and talk normal again. She was glad too, because Guy Diamond was going to need her help soon.

Lily and Lotus were getting big and were very spoiled. Branch spent all his spare time talking to them and telling them all about the world. Poppy loved watching him with the babies.

As the day began, Lily woke up and began to cry. Poppy crawled out of bed and walked over to her. She changed her diaper and tried to feed her. Lily wasn’t having it. She stretched and fussed, only taking breaks between cries to breathe. She was inconsolable. Poppy checked for a fever but didn’t find one. 

Branch took her and tried to get her to calm down. This usually worked. She was becoming a daddy’s girl, but even he couldn’t get her to stop crying. Concerned, he took her towards the medical pod and asked them to check her over. They couldn’t find anything wrong with her.

As he left the medical pod, he heard a Bergen. He frowned, putting Lily in his hair. He held her tight to his head and yelled. “Run! Blend in! Dim your auras!” He ran towards the royal flower pod and told Poppy to go hide with Lotus. He made sure Guy Diamond and Smidge hid as well, and then he made a mad dash for a rock crevice. With Lily crying, he wasn’t going to be able to hide from the Bergen. He was going to hear her.

The Bergen heard Lily’s cries and walked towards it. Troll babies were a very light snack, but still provided the same happiness that he wanted. He spotted Branch and headed straight towards him.

Branch heard foot steps right behind him. His heart raced as he squeezed into the crevice and went as far in as he could go. He pulled Lily out of his hair and cradled her to his chest. He kept his back to the entrance to the crevice. He was worried that the Bergen might still reach him. “Please Lily, shh…” He frowned and hummed soothingly to her, but she just wasn’t calming down.

The Bergen got down and stuck his finger into the crevice. He caught Branch’s vest and pulled. Branch scrambled to get his vest off and managed to do it before the Bergen got him pulled all the way out. He squeezed to the wall and closed his eyes. He could hear the Bergen breathing right next to him. He was terrified. The Bergen tried again to scoop Branch out with his finger but was only able to claw him. Branch let out a scream, feeling the finger nail along his back. The Bergen tried this repeatedly, making Branch’s back bleed. He tried one more time, jabbing his finger in. The nail stabbed Branch in the leg, slicing it open. Branch screamed again but didn’t move. He wasn’t going to let the Bergen have his daughter.

The Bergen gave up and moved towards Troll Village. He licked his fingers of Branch’s blood, and then began opening flower pods. Most of them were empty, but he did find two that had trolls hiding in them. He scooped them up and ate them immediately. Satisfied for now, he walked away.

Poppy watched in horror. She had seen the Bergen licking his fingers after chasing Branch and had watched him eat two families. As soon as the Bergen left, she raced towards where she last saw Branch run. She was terrified that she had lost him.

Branch was holding his injured leg, and had Lily tucked close with his other arm. He was hurt, but he was alive.

Poppy reached the crevice and gasped, seeing all the blood. She grabbed Lily and put her next to her brother in her hair, and then helped Branch up. She walked towards Troll Village with him. “Please, I need help!”

A large group gathered around Branch as medical trolls began tending to his wounds. One also checked Lily and found she didn’t have a scratch on her. Branch closed his eyes and groaned. He was just glad she was ok.

Lily had calmed down again and looked around at all the commotion. She was just fine now.

Poppy took Lily back and cradled her. That had been way to close. “As soon as King Branch is stable, we need to move.”

Gauze was wrapped around Branch’s midsection, and his leg was sewn shut. He was unable to walk on his injured leg. It caused him too much pain to put weight on it. He was strapped to a litter. All the trolls gathered around him and waited for word of when to start leaving.

Smidge was standing next to Guy Diamond. She had both Daisy and Emery tucked in her hair. She looked angry. Guy Diamond was heavy with pod, and this was far from good timing. She was concerned for him and angry at the Bergen. She hoped they would find a new home before Guy Diamond had his baby.


	19. Rock A Bye River

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Troll Village is forced to move from their home after a tragic Bergen attack.

Once everyone was gathered near Branch, Poppy consulted with her father as to which direction would be best to go. He decided walking along the river would be the best chance they had. There was plenty of food for them, and lots of hiding places, just in case predators attacked. Poppy agreed that this would be a good idea. She began to lead the villagers along the river. Branch was carried in the litter. He looked around, concerned for all of them. He was going to have a harder time protecting them from danger now.

Guy Diamond walked beside Branch as he was carried. He was quiet and watched the ground as they walked. He was tired and didn’t feel good, but right now was not a good time to complain.

Smidge was right beside Guy Diamond and was holding his hand. For now, their little family was asleep in her hair. She hoped that all the babies remained calm until they were far from the old village.

About an hour came and went, before they made their first stop. Poppy sat by Branch and fed the twins. She wanted them to be quiet for as long as possible. She didn’t want unwanted attention.

Smidge also fed Emery and Daisy. She was right beside Guy Diamond. She was concerned about him. His aura was very dim. It was the first time in over a month that she had seen him this down. “Are you feeling ok?”

“Just tired.” Guy Diamond smiled softly at her. He was worried about them all and was not comfortable at all. He had been having contractions for a while now.

Once babies were fed, and everyone had a chance to rest a little, Poppy began to lead them again. She wanted to get as far away from Troll Village as possible. They had lost two whole families in those two flower pods. She wasn’t going to let that happen again if she could help it.

Another two hours went by, before Smidge noticed that Guy Diamond was starting to slow down. She walked with him but was worried they would get left behind. She hollered ahead, begging for them to slow down.

Poppy had everyone stop and then walked back towards Guy Diamond and Smidge. “We can stop here for a little while and fed the babies. Get some rest.” She smiled softly knowing Guy Diamond was getting tired. She headed back to Branch. She fed the twins there.

Guy Diamond laid down and curled up on his side. He put his hand on his belly, feeling it tighten. Labor had been slowing him down, but he didn’t want to slow everyone down and cause them to be caught.

Smidge took Daisy and Emery out and began to feed them. She saw Guy Diamond holding his belly. Her eyes widened in horror. “Are you in labor?!”

“I don’t know.” Guy Diamond frowned and looked at her with concern. He was hoping it wasn’t, but after hours of pain it was very likely labor.

Smidge looked worried. She let Emery and Daisy finish, changed them quickly, and then tucked them in her hair. She rushed towards Poppy. When she got to her, she started to shake. “I need help with Guy. We might have to stop for the night.”

“What’s wrong?” Poppy stood up and headed back to where she remembered Guy laying down. Poppy waved medical trolls towards her just in case.

“He looks like he’s in a lot of pain. I think he might be in labor.” Smidge hurried towards Guy Diamond.

As they approached, Guy Diamond let out a groan. The medical trolls checked him over, and confirmed he was in labor, and that the trolling was about to be born.

Smidge took Guy Diamond’s hand and held it. “How long have you been hurting? We should have stopped sooner.”

“Since the Bergen attacked. I didn’t want us to get caught.” Guy Diamond squeezed her hand during the next contraction. He was glad they had managed to walk this far. It was much safer here then back at the village. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Smidge sat beside him and hummed softly. She knew how horrible this pain was and was sad that he had to go through it, and under stressful circumstances. “You can do this.”

Guy Diamond gasped and squeezed on her hand so hard that it hurt a little. He didn’t want to cry out. During this contraction a little lavender baby girl was delivered. She had white hair with a green tip. She let out strong cries. She was very healthy. The medical troll that caught her cleaned her and gave her to Guy Diamond.

A silence fell among them. The baby looked so much like Creek that it was eerie. They looked worried that Guy Diamond might reject his baby.

Poppy frowned, feeling her own heart break. This only confirmed what they had known since the murderous rampage. Creek had done this to Guy Diamond. She was so glad that she hadn’t stayed with him.

Guy held his daughter and smiled softly. He thought she was beautiful. He smiled up at Smidge. His aura started to glow brighter again. “I want to name her River, since she was born right here by the riverbed.”

Smidge smiled softly and nodded. She was a little hesitant about the name, but it did make sense. She needed to think past how River was conceived and not think about all the bad things that came from Creek. They would raise River right, and she could only hope that River would be more like Guy Diamond. “It is a beautiful name Guy. You did a great job. Get some rest. You deserve it.”


	20. A Broken Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trolls rest for the night. There is a surprise in store for them.

After Guy Diamond gave birth to River, everyone settled in that area for the night. They were grateful that they had made it this far. Everyone found a hiding place to sleep. It was unnerving not knowing the area. Concern that they might be found by a predator was all too real. Scouts took turns watching the area for danger. They didn’t want to lose any more trolls.

During the night, a scream was heard from the outskirts of their temporary camp. It had awoken everyone, and they were all suddenly on high alert. Everyone blended in and reduced their auras, fearing that another troll had lost their life.

As morning rose, some of the trolls came out to investigate the source of the scream. During their search, they found a female troll, face down on the ground. She was unconscious but was alive. She was not part of Troll Village. Her skin was maroon, and her hair was light pink.

Biggie walked up to her and rolled her gently onto her back. She had a gash on her face, from her ear to her nose. She also had bruising on her head, chest, and legs. “We need a medical troll over here!”

The medical trolls stitched her face wound and tend to her. They all wondered where this young female came from. It was clear she had been attacked though and was lucky to be alive.

Poppy walked over and looked down at the female. “I’ve never seen her before. There must be another village nearby. We should look for them.”

Branch grabbed a cane and limped over painfully, shaking his head. “Poppy, I am not sure that is a good idea. She is a rogue troll, and if she did come from another village, they might blame us for her injuries.”

“She must have family that are worried sick about her. We must get her back. They will understand if we explain that we found her. Perhaps they might even know a good place for us to move.” Poppy smiled at him, optimistic as usual.

“What if she was banished? This is not a good idea Poppy. We have already been through enough. We need to get our own village safe. There are tiny babies that are in danger out here. We need to go.” Branch looked down at the young female. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to save her. He just had trust issues from his past experiences.

The female stirred and let out a groan as she began to wake up. She opened her violet colored eyes and looked up at them with wide eyes. She squirmed and tried to move away from them, but was in a lot of pain. “Who are you?!” She was scared.

“My name is Poppy, and this is Branch. We found you this morning. You are injured. You will want to take it easy.” Poppy reassured her and offered her a hug. “What is your name?”

“My name is Cherry.” She made no advance to hug Poppy. She looked very nervous. Recollection of the night before began to come to her, and tears filled her eyes. They streamed down her cheeks. She buried her face into her hands and began to sob.

Branch looked between Poppy and Cherry. He wasn’t sure what happened, but it was clear that Cherry was very upset. “What happened last night? You look pretty roughed up.”

“You are safe. It’s going to be ok.” Poppy rested her hand gently on Cherry’s shoulder. She wasn’t sure why she was upset, but she wanted to make it right.

“A bird of pray attacked us last night. The last thing I remember is escaping its talons. It ate Pistachio…” Cherry sniffled. “I fell down this tree. It’s the last thing I remember.”

“Did you come from a village?” Poppy looked concerned. It sounded like Cherry had been knocked out on the way down the tree. She wondered who Pistachio was.

“No, we are rogues. I escaped my old village as a teenager. They were abusive. I found Pistachio. He was travelling alone before he met me.” Cherry rubbed tears from her face.

“If there is a bird of prey here, we need to go. It is not safe.” Branch chimed in. He was worried about the whole village. If there was one bird of prey, there was more.

“Come with us. You don’t have to be alone anymore.” Poppy offered her hand. She had a good feeling about Cherry and wanted to help her.

Cherry hesitated and then took Poppy’s hand. She went to stand, as she did, bones shifted in her left leg. She let out a scream of pain.

“Her leg is broken.” Branch knew that sound all too well. “Biggie, can you carry her?”

“Yes, I can carry her.” Biggie picked Cherry up gently and walked towards the other villagers.

Once everyone was ready to go, Poppy once again began to lead the villagers along the river. She had high hopes that they would find a new home soon.


	21. A Memory Restored

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The villagers learn more about their new member Cherry.

A couple of hours after discovering Cherry, Poppy had everyone stop to rest and so she could feed her twins. She walked over to Cherry and sat down beside her. She wanted to know more about her. “So, Cherry, tell me a little bit about yourself?”

Branch sat beside Poppy. To say he was protective was an understatement. He still wasn’t very sure about this female rogue, injured or not.

Cherry startled when Poppy approached. Medical trolls had just put a cast on her leg. She winced and put her hand on her leg. “What would you like to know?”

“Who is Pistachio?” It had bugged Poppy the entire two hours since they found her. She wanted to know who he was.

“Pistachio was my soulmate.” Cherry teared up. She wiped her tears away. “We were going to travel the world together. He promised me that he would take all my pain away. He even helped me find my colors. I was gray for as long as I could remember.”

“Sounds a lot like what happened to Branch, but his gray didn’t go away for a while after finding his happiness.” Poppy shifted Lily and gave her to Branch so he could change her diaper.

“Poppy, don’t tell her too much about us. We don’t know her very well yet.” Branch looked between them, and then changed Lily’s diaper. He kept glancing at Cherry. He sensed darkness, and wasn’t sure if it was from bad experience, or if she was bad herself. He was worried about their family and the village.

Cherry looked at Branch, and then Poppy. She wasn’t sure about Branch. He seemed a little high strong. She wasn’t sure if it was because he was protective, or if he was just a complete asshole.

Poppy finished feeding Lotus and changed his diaper. “Relax Branch, I trust her.” She smiled at Cherry. “It sounds like your old village needs happiness. We can help with that.”

“No Poppy, we are looking for a new home. We do not need to go looking for a village to try and get them happy.” Branch looked concerned. Their babies were only just over a month old. This didn’t sound safe at all.

“You do not want to meet my old village. My mom was the only one that was nice in that whole village, and she died when I was two. I barely remember her.” Cherry shook her head. “My father killed her.”

Poppy’s eyes went wide. She was not expecting that. “Is your father still alive?”

“No, he died right before I left. I was blamed for it and beaten. I do not want to go back.” Cherry rubbed her arm. She didn’t really like talking about all this.

Branch had gone quiet. He was really looking at Cherry now. His mother had died because of his stepfather. Cherry looked a lot like his little sister. He looked at them, wide eyed as he recalled the tragic day of his mother’s death.

Poppy frowned. “You are safe with us now. You won’t have to deal with that kind of stuff with our village. We are all happy trolls. Well except sometimes Branch gets serious and over cautious.” She glanced at him and saw that he was in a state of shock. She nudged him, concerned. “What’s wrong Branch?”

Cherry looked around. Many of the other villagers had gathered and were sitting in to listen. They were all very curious about their new member. Smidge was close to her and was giving her the stink eye. This made Cherry uncomfortable.

“I had a half baby sister named Cherry. When I was five, our mother was beaten to death by my stepfather. I ran as fast as I could out of there. I was later found by King Peppy and raised in Troll Village. I’ve regret leaving her for all these years. I thought she had been killed.” Branch’s heart raced. He wasn’t sure how to react. Did they really just find his sister?

“Wait a minute, you had a little sister?! You never told me about that!” Poppy knew there were a lot of things Branch never talked about. She had no clue just how dark his past was.

Cherry looked at Branch. She knew she had an older brother, but she thought he was dead. Everyone had told her he had died. “Branch? Is it really you?” She looked in absolute shock. “They lied to me. You’re are supposed to be dead.”

The other villagers began to whisper to each other. They were surprised that Cherry was related to Branch. They didn’t look anything alike.

Smidge grinned and offered her hand to shake. “My name is Smidge. I am Branch’s right-hand woman, and the duchess of our village. I am extremely protective of my family. Hurt them and you will regret it.”

Poppy smiled softly and pulled Smidge away. “Very true Smidge, but bad timing.” She smiled down at her. She knew she was trying to make it clear to Cherry that she would protect them, but Poppy didn’t think it was necessary.

Branch was still trying to register this information. He moved closer to Cherry and gave her a gentle hug. “I am so sorry I left you. I thought your father killed you. I saw him take you away after killing mother.” He looked very guilty.

Cherry startled when he hugged her but did hug him back. “I understand Branch. I am glad they lied to me.”

“This is great! I am glad we found you.” Poppy joined in the hug and smiled. She had a sister in law now to love and tell stories to. She had so many questions and couldn’t wait until they had more time to talk.


	22. A Haunted Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Branch and Cherry’s pasts come back to haunt them.

After discovering that Cherry was his long-lost sister, Branch insisted they keep going. As much as he wanted to find out more about her and what had happened after he left, they needed to find a new home first. 

Another hour went by, when Poppy saw a flower pod ahead. It was unusually dark. She looked back at Branch. “I think we found a troll village. Perhaps we can stop and ask them if there is a good area to settle nearby. It’ll be good to be near other trolls.”

“I am not sure Poppy. Can we trust these trolls?” Branch looked around cautiously.

Cherry looked up from her litter and started to squirm. She immediately recognized the area. “We have to leave.” She looked at the trolls that were carrying her. “Tell Poppy we have to go!” She looked petrified.

“Well, what do we have here?” An older male came climbing down from a tree. His skin was dark blue, and his hair was bright orange, with shades of light orange mixed in from age.

“Greetings! My name is Poppy, and this is Branch. We are looking for a new home. Do you know a good place to go?”

Branch glared at the male for a moment, and then had a sudden look of horror. “Poppy, we need to go.”

The two trolls that had carried Cherry came over to Poppy and whispered to her that Cherry told them that they must go.

“What are you all in a hurry for? Come, rest. You all look exhausted.” The elder grinned and motioned them towards the center of the village.

Poppy looked at Branch, and then at the elder troll. She smiled and moved over to Branch. “He’s offering us a place to rest Branch.”

“He’s the king of my old village. We can’t stay here.” Branch looked worried. He recalled that this king was dark, and he was worried about their babies and their village.

Poppy saw there was a look of horror in Branch’s eyes. She turned to the villagers and told them to back track as fast as they could.

The King of Branch’s old village saw them scatter and whistled for other trolls. As the members of Troll Village escaped, three of their members were killed. Everyone looked horrified as they heard the screams of the victims.

Cherry hugged into herself as she was carried away. That had been way too close and had brought back terrible memories.

Poppy made sure they ran for half an hour before stopping everyone. She looked around and noticed that there were trolls that were missing. She frowned, wanting to go back for them. “We need to rescue them.”

“Poppy, they are dead. He doesn’t let anyone live that comes into the village. We can’t go back. I am sorry.” Branch frowned and looked down. “They are gone.” He clenched his fists, recalling his dark king. “Let’s keep moving. We need to get as far away from here as possible.”

Smidge looked around. She had been separated from Guy Diamond during the scramble. Her heart raced. She had Emery and Daisy in her hair, but she worried about Guy and River. She thought he may have been one of the victims. She soon found him with DJ Suki. She had helped him escape. They hugged into each other, relieved that they hadn’t lost each other. He was just as worried about her and thought he had lost her.

Another hour went by during their walk, before they stopped for the night. Everyone found a hiding spot and blended into their surroundings. 

Poppy made sure Cherry was with her and Branch for the night. She began telling her sister in law all about Troll Village. She had so much to share. She gave Cherry a warm smile, knowing she was shy and unsure. She was hoping to warm her up soon, just like she had with Branch.

Branch sat nearby. He had Lily and Lotus with him. He cradled them and hummed a lullaby. He was trying to not think of his dark past. Today had brought back a lot of bad memories.

Cherry listened. Poppy seemed like an angel, and she even thought at first, perhaps she had died falling out of that tree. Troll Village really seemed like a magical place. She wished Pistachio was with her to enjoy this.

Once Poppy finished her stories, she took Cherry’s hand. “Thank you for joining our village. I look forward to becoming a part of your future.”

“Queen Poppy, do you have everything you need for the night?” A scout came walking up. He smiled and walked away when she reassured him that she was good for the night.

“Wait, you are queen?! That means…” Cherry looked over at Branch. “Branch, you’re king?!”

“Yeah, I am king.” Branch moved closer to them. The twins had fallen asleep in his arms. He gave them to Poppy and helped her settle in for the night.

Cherry looked between them. She looked shocked. She just thought Poppy was a knight or something. She thought Smidge might have been the future queen since she mentioned being duchess. She was so surprised. “Wow…” She had never imagined being related to royalty. She rested on her side and was soon asleep.

Poppy looked at the stars above them. She made a wish, and then closed her eyes and drifted off. They still had a long journey ahead of them, and they all needed rest.


	23. Cherry Blossom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trolls continue their journey to find their new home.

A week went by without anymore drama or death. Poppy was very optimistic that they were making their way towards a calmer forest, and a better home.

As day broke, and everyone gathered to continue their journey, Smidge was standing over a sleeping Cherry. She had questions that was bothering her. She wanted answers.

Cherry woke up, and the first face she saw was Smidge. She let out a squeal, startled by her sudden appearance. She winced and held onto her left leg. The sudden movements had caused her a lot of pain.

“Good morning sunshine. Did you sleep good?” Smidge had a demonic grin on her face. She was still unsure about Cherry and she wanted to know more.

Cherry started to calm down and looked at Smidge with wide eyes. She had scared her badly. Her previous bad experiences had made her very jumpy. “I slept ok.” She lied. She had had a miserable night’s sleep. She was finding it hard to get comfortable. She was still very sore and painful from her nasty fall the week prior.

“Good, very good.” Smidge looked her over. “So, why didn’t you go looking for Branch after he left? I mean when you got older?” She didn’t understand why Cherry had stayed in the abusive situation.

“I thought he died. And if I had tried to leave, they would have killed me. I barely left with my life when I was a teenager.” Cherry avoided eye contact. She was concerned that Smidge would hurt her. She was still trying to decide if anyone around her was trustworthy yet.

“Fair enough. How old were you when you left?” Smidge felt Emery stir and pulled him out of her hair. She looked down at him and smiled, before pulling Daisy out too. She figured she would start to wake soon. She sat and put them in her lap. River fussed and was also pulled out and set by Emery. 

“I was fourteen.” Cherry saw her pull the infants out and watched them. It had been the first time Smidge had let her see them. She smiled softly. “Are they triplets? They are beautiful.”

“No, all three had their own pod. Daisy is mine. Emery is adopted. And River is Guy Diamond’s. Emery and Daisy are the same age, but River is seven weeks younger.” Smidge watched her gaze and gave her a stern glare. She was extremely protective.

“They are cute.” Cherry shifted and folded her right leg under her left to support it a little. She leaned back on a blade of grass. She loved little trollings and hadn’t seen this many in a long time.

“Thank you. Well we are getting ready to go. You better get ready to go too.” Smidge put her babies in her hair and headed back to Guy Diamond. Her curiosity was satisfied for now.

Cherry watched her go and stretched out a bit. She tried to stand up but was still unable to put any weight on her left leg. She leaned on the blade of grass and grabbed her cane, before she hobbled after Smidge. She feared everyday that they would forget her, and she was in no condition to be alone.

Biggie saw Cherry’s struggle to keep up with Smidge. He came over to her and picked her up gently. “Looking for a ride?”

Cherry squealed as she was picked up and took a swing at Biggie, feeling the need to defend herself. She made contact, but there was not much strength behind her punch. Her eyes widened, and she gasped. “I am so sorry!”

Biggie looked a little stunned but was not very fazed by the punch. “Poppy hits harder than that. I am fine.” He carried her towards the others. He wanted to make sure she didn’t fall behind.

Cherry looked away and watched the area around them as she was carried. She felt very guilty for punching him. A few tears ran down her cheeks. Her previous experiences had her so jumpy, and she needed to learn to trust these trolls. She wanted to for her brother.

Once everyone was gathered, Poppy continued their journey. She had a good feeling they were getting close to their new home.

Biggie continued to carry Cherry. He had a feeling she needed extra comfort today. Mr. Dinkles tucked close to Cherry and had fallen asleep. He saw it as a good sign, and that Cherry had a big heart. She was just scared to show it, just like Branch.

Two hours went by before Poppy had everyone stop. She looked around. The area had a mountain range nearby. It had large lake and right next to the lake was a very large tree. There didn’t appear to be any predators around, and the acoustics in the area were very sweet. She smiled and looked at Branch. “Here, I want to live here.”

Branch smiled at her, and then began to look around. It seemed like a safe place to raise their children. He turned to her and nodded.

Poppy raised her arms to get everyone’s attention. “We will settle here. This appears to be a great place to settle our village.” She smiled as everyone began to spread out and claim their spots for their flower pods. She looked around and decided she would have the royal flower pod right by the lake. With Branch’s help, they worked together to make their new home.

Smidge and Guy Diamond picked a spot close to Branch and Poppy. They began to work together, so that they could have their own flower pod.

Biggie settled Cherry down by a mushroom. “If you need anything, give me a holler, ok? When I am settled, I will help you make a flower pod.”

Cherry nodded and crawled under the mushroom cap. She curled up and closed her eyes. She was exhausted and in a considerable amount of pain.

After a few hours passed, Poppy decided it was time to take a break. She grabbed Branch’s hand and began looking for Cherry. She hadn’t seen her since they had arrived in this new area, and she wanted to make sure she was settling in ok. “Have you seen her?”

“No, I been working on our flower pod.” Branch walked with her. “She was with Biggie. Let’s ask him where he put her?”

Poppy nodded and walked over to Biggie. He was making great progress on his flower pod. “Biggie, where is Cherry?”

“I set her by a mushroom. It’s that way.” Biggie pointed towards the mushroom he had set her down in. “I haven’t seen her come out. I think she is taking a nap.”

Poppy smiled and walked over to the mushroom. “Cherry, are you doing ok under there?”

Cherry was blended in so that Poppy couldn’t see her. She was very quiet. Her pain had increased considerably the last few hours, and she was trying not to make any noises. She didn’t want to get into trouble.

Branch didn’t hear an answer, so he crawled under to investigate. “She might be taking a nap.” He heard heavy breathing and realized she wasn’t asleep. “What’s wrong Cherry?”

“I’m sorry.” Cherry closed her eyes tight. “I will be quiet.” She breathed hard and tried to calm down. 

Poppy joined them under the mushroom cap. She could tell something wasn’t right and was concerned. “There is no need to be quiet. Tell us what’s wrong?”

Branch moved closer and offered his hand. “You are safe. Tell us what we can do to make you feel better.”

Cherry gulped and took his hand. She gave it a good squeeze, before letting out a soft cry. Her hair resided, revealing that she was bleeding. She was in labor, and had kept quiet, thinking that her little trolling had died during her fall. She hadn’t felt kicks since before she fell.

Poppy saw situation was far worse then she thought. Cherry didn’t look like she was with pod, so this little one was probably not going to make it. She hollered for help and then turned to Cherry. “Don’t worry, we will help you get through this.”

Branch watched on in horror. He wasn’t expecting this at all. He began to comfort his little sister and hummed a soothing melody to her to try and keep her calm.

Before anyone else could reach the mushroom, Cherry delivered a baby girl. Poppy had caught the little one and set it on her mama’s chest. This little one appeared to be injured, just like her mama, but was alive. She let out a few cries, but she was weak and very small. She had burgundy colored skin, with pastel green hair.

“Why didn’t you tell us?!” Branch gave the little one a few pats on the back, recalling that that had helped with Daisy when she didn’t want to cry.

Cherry looked shocked and put her arm around her baby as she cried. “I didn’t think she survived the fall. I thought she would be stillborn. I haven’t felt her kick.” She began to shake from shock. She was relieved that Pistachio’s daughter had survived but terrified at the same time. She could tell something was not right with her baby.

Cherry’s baby was immediately given to medical trolls as they arrived. They examined her and found that she had a broken neck. They worked quickly to try and reverse the nerve damage she obviously had. She was not moving her arms or legs. She also had a broken arm. They also determined she had been born prematurely. They were worried the little one wouldn’t make it and were quite surprised that she had survived her birth.

Cherry watched them work on her daughter and hugged into herself. She was grateful her daughter was alive but was scared now that she was in trouble for hiding her pregnancy, and very worried about her furture.

“She is very beautiful Cherry.” Poppy hugged her gently. She could tell she was very tense and wanted to make her feel a little better. “Have you thought of a name?”

“I was thinking Blossom.” Cherry couldn’t keep her eyes off her daughter. This little one had a long and difficult road ahead of her, and only time would tell if she would survive.


	24. A Miracle Child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blossom has the whole village on edge. They are worried that this little one will struggle.

The following forty-eight hours after Blossom was born was extremely hard for Cherry. Everyone was afraid to move the little one too much. Finally, Smidge came up with an idea of keeping a donut shaped toy around her neck to keep it stable. This seemed to work very well. Cherry only moved her to feed her and change her. Cherry was also taught how to exercise Blossom gently, without putting any sort of strain on her broken arm or neck. She needed to keep moving her limbs. It seemed once her neck was stabilized with the donut shaped toy, Blossom was able to move a little bit, but they were not normal movements, and she was weak. 

Blossom was a fighter though and proved that she wasn’t going to give up the will to live. She had a huge appetite and ate vigorously. For a tiny preemie, she had a good set of lungs too. Trolls from two doors down could hear her cries when she needed something. They didn’t mind though. They all knew that the little one was a fighter, and those cries were a very good sign.

Cherry wasn’t alone anymore. Everyone took turns helping her. Since it was hard for her to walk, volunteers helped her with Blossom, and made sure Cherry had enough to eat. It appeared that everyone was really starting to love Cherry being around. This made her feel good. She was slowly starting to gain trust.

Cherry’s next volunteer was Guy Diamond. She didn’t really know him well yet. She saw him around Smidge a lot, but he was still recovering from his own birth, and wasn’t as sociable as his mate. He insisted he take this round for Cherry. He was just as curious about her as Smidge was. He came in and started to cook for her. He was quiet as he prepared a heavy breakfast for her. When he was done, he set the meal down in front of her. It consisted of blueberry juice, pancakes, and a sliced crab apple.

“Thank you for coming and helping me.” Cherry sat up and began to eat. She avoided eye contact, which seemed to be the norm for her. Eye contact use to mean beatings, and she wanted to avoid that.

“You are welcome. Are you recovering alright? Have they given you pain reducing herbs?” Guy Diamond changed Blossom and then gently lifted her. He cradled her and smiled down at her. He was curious about her too and hadn’t got a chance to hold her yet.

“I’m ok. They gave me herbs for pain, yes.” Cherry watched Guy Diamond with her daughter. She was very nervous whenever anyone handled her.

“You have a special gift here. I have a feeling she will be a strong troll one day. She has a strong spirit and aura.” Guy Diamond looked up at Cherry and smiled at her. He was trying to make her feel a little better and liked the looks of this little trolling.

“She might not be able to ever walk or take care of herself.” Cherry didn’t look optimistic at all. She was willing to take care of her daughter, but she didn’t see what everyone else saw. Guy Diamond wasn’t the first one to give her optimistic reassurance. It broke her heart that her daughter was hurt.

“She doesn’t have to walk or take care of herself to be a great part of our village. She can move a little bit. Perhaps one day she will prove that she is stronger than her injuries.” Guy Diamond carefully gave Blossom to Cherry when she finished her breakfast. He was hopeful.

Cherry fed Blossom and glanced up at Guy Diamond. “You are right. Just because she is hurt doesn’t mean she will have a bad future. Thank you.”

“You are welcome.” Guy Diamond opened his hair and pulled River out. He cradled her and waited for Cherry to finish feeding Blossom.

“Your trolling is beautiful.” Cherry smiled softly and watched the little one snuggle with her daddy.

“Thank you. Perhaps when they are a little older, these two can have playdates. It’s nice to have another little one around that is close to the same age.” Guy Diamond smiled up at her.

“Sounds like a good plan.” Cherry finished with Blossom and gently pat her back. She was still very worried about her. She had high hopes that since she had survived the first forty-eight hours of her life, that she would survive and perhaps even thrive.


	25. The Great Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has settled down at their new homes. They endure their first major thunderstorm since moving into their new home.

About a month after finding their new home, rain was heard outside. It wasn’t the first storm they had. They had had a few, but this one was strong and there was lightning.

Branch looked outside the flower pod and saw that the lake water was rising. He woke Poppy up. “We need to get up on top of the tree. This storm is dumping down a lot of rain.” He picked up Lily and Lotus and put them in his hair.

Poppy got up and grabbed a couple of supplies. She put them in her hair, and then walked outside. She went to tell Smidge and Guy Diamond to go up as high as they could in the tree, and then ran to tell others.

Branch split from her and spread the word too. Once he was sure he got everyone, he went to Cherry’s flower pod. He explained to her what was going on, and then picked her up. Cherry held Blossom close as he began making his way towards the tree. Her leg was getting better, but he didn’t want her to fall behind while climbing the tree. When he got to the tree, everyone who could help, started helping them up the tree.

Once everyone was as high as possible, they gathered together and watched the rain fall. The little trollings were scared. The lightening was scary to them. Lily seemed to be the only one that was completely calm.

Cherry was terrified. She hadn’t been up in a tree since the day she fell out of a tree, lost her mate, and nearly lost her daughter. She cradled Blossom close and tried to keep still.

Blossom no longer had anything around her neck. The medical trolls had decided her neck was healing well and she no longer needed it. She shifted a little in her mother’s arms and cooed. She was starting to talk a little and loved bubbling at her mama. She was making great improvement since the day she was born.

Smidge saw that Cherry was scared and moved closer. “Don’t worry. We won’t let you fall out of this tree. You are safe.”

Guy Diamond followed Smidge and sat by Cherry. “Yeah, you are safe. This storm sort of reminds me of when Troll Village flooded. We had to climb the tree then too. Everyone gathered together, and we decided to play a game.”

“Oh! A game sounds fantastic!” Poppy moved closer to them and grinned. “How about every time the lightening strikes, we sing a new song.”

Everyone started talking about how fun that sounded. So, after the next lightning strike, they would sing. When another strike came, they changed the song. This continued until the storm was over. Everyone was a lot more relaxed now, including Cherry.

Branch saw that the lake had flooded, so asked everyone to wait before going down to their flower pods. Once it was safe, he gave the OK to head back down.

“Well, if this is the worst we have to deal with, it only confirms we found a good place to live.” Poppy smiled at Branch, and then began to make her way down the tree.

Branch smiled and watched Poppy make her way down the tree. She was right. They had found a great place to live. He had high hopes for the future and hoped that their kids would continue to make their new life great.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of part one. I have decided to make a part two. I want to start focusing on Guy Diamond and Smidge's children, and their relationships with Branch and Poppy's twins, and Cherry's daughter. I look forward to writing more about them. Hope you enjoyed!


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